Under The Stars
by Little-Bit910
Summary: “Mary-Lynnette, my sweet Mary-Lynnette. You are not asleep. I'm here, I'm finally home, my love.” Ash was over her, holding his weight on his hands and knees, she didn't dare move. Ash was all she could see, her Ash, Her sweet Ash Redfern, her soulmate.
1. Home

**(N/A: Hello everyone nice enough to read my story, I just wanted to let y'all know that this isn't the only chapter and I would greatly appreciate it if you could review, please, please, please?**

**:)Carissa.)**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. If I really did own Ash I wouldn't be here writing. I'd be with him. *Smiles and sighs.***_

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Mary-Lynnette smiled at the stars, she felt that if she closed her eyes, even just to blink they would disappear, taking all there glory with them, but when she finally let her eyes slide closed she saw the most beautiful site. More amazing than the sun, better than the cooling wind blowing through her hair that was strung out in every which way in the lush grass, and even better than the stars themselves. Those ever-changing eyes. Since she found those eyes—and their owner—she didn't feel the happiness she used to feel when she looked up at the sky, nothing was as beautiful to her than those eyes.

She felt that her hand was on her heart, and started to feel it's pattern. _Bump, bump-bump, bump-pa, bump-bump-bump, bump, bump-pa, _her heart sounded so discorded. Well, it made sense when only half of it was inside her, the other half was with her beloved Ash.

"_Ash," _she sighed allowed, knowing there was no one to answer her. She didn't know how she was living without him, but It also didn't make sense to live without half your heart, either. The only thing that could comfort her was the thought that somewhere in the world he might be looking up at the same sky, slaying dragons for her. Even if it was the right thing to do, she couldn't help but curse herself for sending him away, this had been the longest year of her life.

. May-Lynnette had understood now why he was all anti-human, Rowan, one of her blood sisters, explained all about their father and how he taught him all that humans were here for was for them to drink, he called them vermin. Of course, Rowan, Jade, and Kestrel didn't believe that, that's one of the reasons they ran away. They were always there for Mary-Lynnette and her brother Mark, they were the only ones keeping her moving forward to the next day while Ash made up for all that he did wrong. Even if she didn't like talking about him, she would always love him, she would always feel unwholesome without him,. it was the effect of the Soulmate Principle, binded together no matter what age, race or even if you like eachother.

She smiled as she closed her eyes again, just to see those beautiful eyes once more, the eyes of her soulmate, "Ash" she sighed again, just to hear his name aloud. Mary-Lynnette's eyes stayed closed and she drifted off to sleep under the stars.

*******

"Kestrel, listen to me. I have to go." Ash exclaimed."I have to find her!" She was blocking the door so he couldn't escape.

"She is probably at her house," Rowan cut in, "you don't need to bother her at this late hour."

"It's been a year since I've seen my Mary-Lynnette," Ash whispered, his patience was wearing thin, having his soulmate in the same town, so close to him, but being stopped by his sister made his blood boil for her, and his heart ache. He felt so close to being happy, but couldn't be, not without holding her curved body close to him, or seeing that beautiful face really looking at him. All, he had to go on was his dreams, he wanted the real thing.

"Ash," Jade's whisper came to his ear, "She hasn't said anything about you since you left, besides a couple of questions about how you were raised. I think she is moving on."

"No." Ash could feel his heart being ripped. "No, she can't, I need her!" he yelled

_This is the first time I've seen him actually broken, _Rowan thought, sadly. "Go, Ash." She whispered, "She's on the hill, you should know which. She usually doesn't leave till dawn now."

Ash actually hugged his sisters and kissed Rowan on the forehead, "Thank you. I will never hurt her, you should know when I'm lying by now. Read my mind if you want. I'm ready to be with her forever. I'm ready to give her this." He was holding out a promise ring, showing them all, but he didn't have time to explain. Ash ran to the window, and jumped out. _I have no time to open doors, _He thought,_ I have to get to her. _He ran to all the way to the hill, his heart raising, and not because of exertion. Oh no, he just wanted his Mary-Lynnette, he was ready, he had slain dragons, helped humans and thought about her lovely face the whole time. He didn't think about other women or even really look at them. He just counted the days and looked at the sky any time he could just because he knew she was looking up at it, too.

He slowed his pace as he got close to the top of the hill, his breathe raged and gasping. He worked to make his face a mask of composure, but he felt the tears stinging in his eyes as her fragile body came into view. "Mary," He whispered.


	2. Flashback

_(A/N: Okay, I looove that I'm getting feedback and home for some more, please, please review. It made me glow inside!(: Well, this is the next chapter was something I was thinking about for a while in health class. I thought to myself, "What was Ash thinking when they first met," here it is, tell me what you think.)_

**_I do not own these characters, sadly. (;_**

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He didn't take another step. There she was, more beautiful than ever. Her dark hair was much longer than it had been before he left. Her face thinned of most of the baby fat it had, leaving high cheekbones. she was laying in the grass, her eyes closed and chest moving slowly, showing she was in deep sleep. Ash smiled, but didn't want to awaken her from this, instead he sat on the ground and watched her. Thinking about what Jade had said, _what if she is_ _over me, _he thought and a chill wavered down his spine. That would be unbearable, intolerable. But it could be true, she had sent him away, and she hadn't said a word about him since they had been apart. Ash's tears started burning his eyes again, threatening to escape from the dam he had put up. He felt that he should have got up, what if she woke up and kicked him again.

At that he couldn't help but laugh, thinking of the first day they met. How she had kicked him, not once but twice. He was over there checking up on how much the neighbor's knew about his sisters they had ran away and his job was to bring them home. He had gone over to the old house and knocked on the door, a woman, maybe in her early thirties answered the door and beckoned him into the house, she said her name was Claudine, Ash could here the mischievous thoughts she was thinking, and almost laughed out loud at how amazing she thought he looked, she was the same as any other girl that saw him. He was going to flirt the answers out of her, but decided that would be wrong. Which was odd for him, why would Ash—Ash Redfern to be exact—think it would be wrong? He settled with the fact that he was here for one purpose, his sisters.

He and Claudine sat talking for a while when he heard another mind fire to life in the other room, meaning that person was waking up. He was sitting calmly, his face a mask of pure composure smiling and answering all of Claudine's questions without hearing them directly, he was listening to the mind in the other room, for that person knew about the girls. Usually he would think it was comical at how she was floundering in her head for a reason he was there.

"Hi, there" He said and Claudine looked at him, puzzled.

"Mary-Lynnette, is that you?" She yelled in the way of the kitchen and Ash heard a refrigerator being opened, and someone searching it like a mad person.

"Yeah," came the voice, "Just getting some juice. Then I'm going out." _Your making a lot of noise for just getting juice. _He thought with a snicker,_ Aw, she sounds so nervous._

"Don't go yet," Claudine yelled out, "Come out here and talk for a few minutes. Come meet Mrs. Burdock's nephew."

Ash smiled at Claudine, to reassure her.

It took a long time for this May-Lynnette to come out of the kitchen, and the first thing he noticed about her was that she didn't have a juice in her hand, but a coke. He wanted to laugh, but when he looked up at her he found himself think, _how beautiful._ He stood up, as lazily as ever, and stretched in his cat-like way. but he couldn't remove his eyes from her face, her sweet—almost sensual—face. He reached his hand out for her to shake, but she didn't reach for it right off. She was looking down at the floor and slowly, oh ever so slowly, she raised her head. Mary-Lynnette muttered, "Hello." almost to quiet for his vampire ears to hear and she reached for his hand.

That's when it happened.

Contact, and something happened, something he didn't understand at all.

Hey, don't I _know_ you?

He heard his thought echoed in her mind, he hated it. They were thinking the same thoughts now? That wasn't all, when there skin connected, there was a shock up his arm through his spine, down to his toes and back up to his brain. He couldn't miss it, it was like a big sign flashing, "_Soulmate, soulmate, soulmate," _it read and he tried to cover the shock he felt.

He felt as if he was falling and everything he ever thought to be true about humans was lost, out the window, GONE! He tried words in his head, _vermin? Food? Nothing?_ That's right, nothing. He didn't feel that any of this was true anymore, not while looking at her. Not while the signs were flashing the one word he never thought he would ever see. Not when looking into those dark eyes.

"It's so good to see a new face around here isn't it? We're very boring out here by ourselves," Claudine said, trying to get Ash's attention off of Mary-Lynnette. She was nervous and flustered. At any other place and time, he would have thought it was hysterical, but Claudine aroused Mary-Lynnette out of what she was thinking about and she jumped back as if Ash had burned her. "O-kay,"Claudine groped for something to say, "Hmm." She was twisting a pieces of hair nervously and Mary-Lynnette was staring at the fireplace.

Suddenly, Mary-Lynnette looked at him, a smile plastered on his face, she said, "So, how long are you here for?" Ash didn't say anything, and didn't move, he could feel as though he looked shocked, but couldn't put the mask of composure back into place. _Well, at least he's awake,_ He caught a the thought from Mary-Lynnette. Then gave up the polite girl act and said out loud, "Who are _you?_"

"Who are _you?_" he countered, the same way she did.

They both glared.

there was something moving in front of Ash that pulled him back to the present, he had forgot that he was sitting on the hill with Mary-Lynnette.

But now he remember, because now she was moving.

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_(A/N:I promise that the next chapter comes tomorrow, I'm so terrible, always ending with cliff hangers, I do it all the time, I'm sorry.)_


	3. Dreaming

_**(A/N: I told you all I would post it today and I thank all of y'all for the enthusiasm, I'm so glad you all like it!(: I wanted to take some time and tell y'all I have another story on here, well on Night World. It's something I made up all on my own but sadly haven't had any reviews. I was wondering if any of you all would go see it. It's important to me. Of course, you don't haaave to, but it would be great.(:**_

_** Well anyways, I wanted to say, I'm sorry about all the cliff hangers, but I have found out that it is a great way to get people to want to read more, and just as I promised, here it is. Enjoy. **_

_**:)Carissa.)**_

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. XD**

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The dream Mary-Lynnette was having was tainted with an ever color change. She smiled and looking down at the bottom of her hill. It was dark, and in the shadows she could just barely make out a figure, it moved slightly and started to walk her way, She held her breath, hoping... No, praying it was her knight in shining armor coming back for her, finally. The figure walked slow and as it got closer to Mary-Lynnette could tell it was hunched and scared. She smiled and beckoned the figure forward, but before she could see the figures face, she felt another presence and looked around. No one... Finally she asked the figure almost in front of her now, "Who are you?"

"I'm a dream," it whispered so she couldn't recognize the voice, but it got closer, and closer, till it was at her ear, then it said, "Wake up."

She was sent through the void, back to her body and she moved, trying to figure out were she was, it was disorienting. The sky was dark and she was lying on the ground, the air was charged with a feeling that she didn't understand, till she finally saw Ash.

He was sitting next to her just staring at her, his eyes were wide and dark navy at the moment. She didn't know what to say, and it seemed that he didn't know what to say either. It felt as if she was dreaming again. _If I don't wake up soon, _she thought,_ I'm going to start crying. _

So, she laid back down and closed her eyes, waiting for the dream to pass.

"Mary-Lynnette?" Ash's voice said, and she couldn't help herself, she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her face. She wanted him to hold her so tightly to his own body, never letting go. She needed him. No, she needed him that instant. Her heart wrenched so hard it caused her to double over her crunched legs in physical pain.

The voice she heard was so much like the voice she remembered, and it made her heart stop, then pick back up double time. Mary-Lynnette, squeezed her eyes and then opened them again, hoping the dream passed, but there he was again, so she cried out, "GO AWAY!" She sobbed, almost screamed then she saw the worst sight in the world, those eyes—now black—so sad and hurt, he looked down to the ground, and his hands where in fists, she whispered, "I don't want to dream about Ash anymore, he is always in my dreams. Every. Night. I. Can't. Get. Away. Do you know how that feels?" Ash nodded, but she kept talking, "I need the real thing, I need him close, I don't want him away from me anymore! I... I need to be close to him just to breathe."

"Mary-Lynnette." Ash said to her quietly, "I want you to breathe in and out right now, tell me how it feels."

She did, it was surprisingly easy, "but this is just a dream. None of this is real, it just my stupid subconscious conjuring up what I want to see most."

"What about the stars," he asked, his eyes glinted in a dark green, staring over her shoulder "I thought the stars were more beautiful." She took this as confirmation, she was truly dreaming,

She decided that it was okay to tell all the truths to her subconscious so she admitted what she was too scared to tell her brother, her blood sisters, she never even truly admitted to herself, "It pales before the brilliancy of my soulmates beautiful eyes, they haunt me when I sleep, and when I blink."

Ash smiled, "I know what you mean." He looked her in the eyes and at that, there was fire everywhere on her body, she looked down to make sure it wasn't real, it sure felt real.

Ash came up and was on his hands and knees, crawling towards her which wasn't that far. He put his hand on the small of her back—his hand even felt real to her—and leaned her slowly back, and coming over her.

"Bu-but you're-you're not real, I'm dreaming."

"Mary-Lynnette, my sweet, sweet Mary-Lynnette. You are not asleep. I'm here, I'm finally home, my love." Ash was over her, holding his weight on his hands and knees, she didn't dare move. Ash was all she could see, her Ash, Her sweet Ash Redfern, her soulmate.

"Ash," she sighed, there was a small ripple up his spine, and with that his lips were crushing hers in a kiss, it was sweet at first, but the fire that had engulfed her earlier, blew up like his lips where the trigger, there was bliss and everything glowed. The kiss intensified, and there was a underlying hunger, a feeling of finally breathing. This was better than there first kiss, or their last kiss before he was leaving. They couldn't stop they needed each other, they were in sink, they were in love, they were _soulmates. _Her hands where in his ash blond hair, holding him closer. She needed him, and for some reason, she knew she wasn't dreaming, he was there and she could tell that he loved her still, and all the while she was sending thoughts to him, she knew he could hear, _I love you. I missed you. My love._

******

Finally, but all too soon, he pulled back to look her in the eyes. He was breathless, the kiss itself had taken that year and made it worth while, then he was going to ask her the question he was dying to ask her. The one he decided on before he left, he was ready to be with her, be there for her, ready to love her, forever.

But before he could ask, there was a howl and someone screaming then saying "No! GO! Leave us alone! STOP IT! Let him GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the scream was so close and so faintly familiar, then it hit Ash like a ton of trees, _Oh no! JADE!_


	4. Attacked

_**(A/N: I know it took some time getting this part out, but I wanted it just right, plus, no one reviewed my last chapter. I really want to post the next part, it's important, but I won't unless I get at least 5 comments. I need something constructive and it I need a couple names to go into it too. If you write me something constructive along with your name or the name you want me to use. I'll use it. Someone's gotta be the Werewolf. Also I don't think I told y'all last time I did this the name of my other story, It's "When All Else Fails." It would be very nice for y'all to look at it. Well, with no further interruptions, here is chapter 4. I hope you all love it**_

**_:)Carissa)_  
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**Disclaimed!(:**

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Ash wasn't the only one who heard it.

Mary-Lynnette knew that Ash was going to tell her something, but then she heard Jade. It was that it was loud, and maybe even close. Ash untangled from Mary-Lynnette in an instant, he was running. She was alone on the hill she didn't know where the scream came from, she didn't understand why Jade was screaming, until she heard what she was really worried about.

"MARK! NO! DON'T DO IT, DON'T HURT HIM! MY MARK!" Jade was screamed again, it sounded as if she was sobbing, and In that instant Mary-Lynnette was running, too. Her brother, what could have happened to him? What the hell was going on? The brother that she was always looking after; the brother that almost didn't get to live all those years ago because of his breathing; the brother that was pulled into this life because of the same soulmate principle that held her to Ash. If he died, Mary-Lynnette would die, too. She loved Mark. He was so trusting and so young, he couldn't die.

As she ran she heard another scream of pure agony, and this time it didn't sound like Jade. _Ash!_ Her mind provided_ No! My Ash!_. She started running faster.

As she entered the clearing, she heard grunting. She didn't know what to expect, but she didn't think it would look like this. Mark was unconscious on the ground, and jade kneeling over him; trying to stop the blood flowing from Mark's head with a shirt that Mary-Lynnette recognized as the one Ash had been wearing. Then she looked up from the pair and saw her Ash, across the clearing fight a wolf.

It looked like Jeremy, the werewolf Mary-Lynnette killed a year ago, almost to the day. She couldn't move, she was staring at the wolf, it was dark brown and sleek and certain in every step and attack that it would bring blood. _What do I do? _Mary-Lynnette thought, _We have no silver!_

"Help.... Mark!" she heard Ash grunt as he attacked the werewolf at the neck, not connecting.

"Ash, be careful." She whispered, certain that he could hear her and sat down beside her brother.

"What happened, Jade?" She asked, taking off her shirt—she had a tank under it—to help stop the bleeding on his leg.

"We were...." She gestured to his neck and made a slurping sound to show her that they were exchanging blood.

"Were you turning him into a vampire?!" Mary-Lynnette all but yelled, they told them to let Mark get to be seventeen before they did that.

"No, no we were just doing it for the feeling. Then the wolf came out of no were, it grabbed me and threw me across our clearing and then attacked Mark, I yelled. Then, Ash showed up."

"Jade, run back to the house, take Mark with you, and come back with all the silver you can!" Jade did what Mary-Lynnette said to do with out questions, she picked Mark up and ran. Leaving Mary-Lynnette to face the wild beast, with Ash.

No silver, no fire.

******

Jade ran the whole way home vampire speed, worrying about Ash and Mary-Lynnette. They had nothing to defend themselves and Ash looked seriously injured. What could Jade do, he had almost no blood left in him, his heart was almost not strong enough to keep beating, She had to make the decision for him. If he took anymore of her blood, he would be a vampire. If he didn't he would be gone forever. She had to do it, she would not lose him, she would not go through the pain she knew Mary-Lynnette had to go through.

When she got home, she barked orders at Kestrel and Rowan, which surprised them, Jade was the youngest, and was never one to take charge, they didn't question it because of the load she carried; a half bled out Mark.

"Kestrel, gather lots of silver, and run to were you sense Ash and Mary-Lynnette the most! Go, NOW!" Kestrel nodded, and complied, "Rowan, get towels, blankets and a goat, this is going to be hard." Rowan complied, too. She knew what Jade had in mind.

******

Mary-Lynnette tried to handicap the wolf as much as possible, but it didn't work. It would only jump away from her and go after Ash again and again. She felt hopeless, she couldn't help Ash, and he was going to die. It didn't matter that vampire flesh healed fast, the wounds were being ripped open again and again. And all Mary-Lynnette could do is stand and watch.

When Ash finally fell, Mary-Lynnette fell, too. She had just got him back and know he was gone again. This time maybe forever. She wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come. _Maybe I really am dreaming, _she thought, but his hands on her weren't a figment of her imagination. They were the hands she remembered, the hand that she loved.

The wolf looked at Mary-Lynnette with, too human eyes and ran away.

All Mary-Lynnette could do was run over to ash, his wounds were just scratches but they were taking longer than normal to heal, "Mary-Lynnette," Kestrel's voice chimed behind her, "He needs blood, or he won't heal."

"Okay," she said, remembering how it would feel. Sensing the beautiful ever-changing colors of his mind. Feeling one with him. Like two little drops connecting into one. There one little world. She pulled her hair out of the way and leaned over him. The small hairs stuck straight up when he softly sniffed her neck, and his mouth was on her neck.

Ravenous.


	5. Confused

**(N/A: Ha ha, I said that I wouldn't post this till I had five reviews but I couldn't do it. I was too excited, the creative juices were flowing great today. Yes, that's dorky, but hey? Go with the flow, right? I've been going through a lot and it has inspired me for a idea for a book I've now started. I think it will be good. Well, please Read and Review. I would also like some criticism. Now I would like to thank some of my loyal reviewers.**

Gwargedd-Annwn13 **: Thanks so much, your criticism was greatly appreciated and I'll try to stop doing so many cliff hangers.(: This one needed one though. Thanks so much. **

Twilighter80 : **thanks so much for the encouragement. I hope this one makes you as happy, too. Thanks.(:**

cullenluver12 : **Thanks soo much, it made me feel totally great when you said I sounded like L. J. Smith even if i am nowhere near as good as she is, it was really appreciated. I hope i still sound like her to you. ;)**

**Well, I will do more of these on my next story I just wanted to recognize some of the reviewers. With out further a due. Chapter four. **

**:)Carissa.)**

_Disclaimed! :D_**  
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Mary-Lynnette didn't understand just how much she missed this part of there relationship before Ash left, until now. It was beautiful, the ever-changing mind. She felt like they had merged together, her body was seeping with happiness; that is, until she felt his thoughts, the thoughts of hunger and need for blood She couldn't tell if he was ever going to stop, she was scared he was going to drain her. All of a sudden his mind was gone, she was locked in the pure terror. Then there was pain, the pain of blood being pulled from her body without her will.

_Ash, _she thought, _You're hurting me. Stop, please._

_What?_ He thought dazedly.

_It's me, Mary-Lynnette. You're hurting me! Please, Ash, STOP!_ Mary-Lynnette thought.

She was scared and she could feel herself getting weaker and weaker, Till she blacked out completely.

*******

Jade cut herself at the neck with a piece of wood lying in a corner. They should have cleaned up when they got here over a year ago, but they were to busy with fitting into the new town, watching over there new blood kin and keeping there vampire secret a secret, to really clean up the place.

She pulled an unconscious Mark into her slender arms and put his mouth to her neck.

The pure bliss that always came with his mouth on her started again and she couldn't stop the sigh that escaped her lips. His lips became responsive and started to drink. Then she felt his mind; it was beautiful in itself, almost an ice blue, that's the only color Jade's could come up with even if was more beautiful than even that. She made him stay there, drinking a lot of her blood to make sure he would have enough. Then she softly pulled his lips off of hers and laid him back on the blankets Rowan had brought in. Jade laid on his chest till she felt his breathing stop. She laid there even longer than that just crying and hoping that he wasn't actually dead instead of changing. She would not lose him. The pain would be too hurtful.

"Sweetie," Rowan's soft whisper sounded from behind Jade. "He's just changing. Don't worry. You should see it, his cuts are closing up on his head and his pallor is changing. You did good, now just let him rest."

"Rowan," She sobbed into his chest"What if he hates me. What if he gets mad that I changed him at only sixteen? He is going to be stuck this age for as long as he lives..."

"JADE!" Rowan now yelled. "Calm down. You saved him, he won't die now and he was going to. He will be thankful."

"Okay, but I'm not leaving him until he wakes up."

"Okay, I'm going to go hunt now." Just as Rowan said this, Ash ran into the house carrying an unconscious Mary-Lynnette followed by a frantic Kestrel, which was a new side of Kestrel that no one had seen before, but they didn't have much time to note this till Ash started barking orders just as Jade had. Except they were different in what he wanted.

"Get hot wash clothes and those blood packets Aunt B used to use and the I.V. Mary doesn't have enough blood. COME ON! GO!" At that, everyone—even Jade—was in action getting together what he wanted them to get. "Mary, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Ash was actually crying, "I'm horrible. I shouldn't have done this. I don't expect you to love me anymore, you don't have to. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

*******

Mark was dreaming, he could see the image like it was a crystal clear movie. He saw Jade, his beautiful Jade laying in the grass, the sun kissing her face; making her pale face shimmer slightly. He sighed in contempt and reclined beside her. He didn't have any idea how much time had passed or if any of this was real, he just felt happy.

He felt himself doze a little more than he had already, until he was aware of Jade calling his name. "Mark, you can awaken now. My Mark wake up."

He was pulled through the void and bat his eyelids a little bit leting the world come into focus, the dim room was so familiar, but sharper to him some how. He suddenly remember how it felt when they had made the blood promise with the Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade; everything was sharp, but not this sharp. He could see the dust mites or the grains on the desk across the room. He was also aware of a hunger... No, thirst. That made him sniff at the air, searching for the tang of.... Blood! He smelt in near by, he needed it.

Jumping of the couch; he went for the first thing that smelt human, it was a goat. Not what he wanted. Human blood sounded better, but it would give him time to search. He was ready to suck the goat dry, but Jade's voice in his mind stopped him after a while. _Mark, don't be a killer. Let it go._ Her gentle hands were on his back and finally he stopped.

"So, I'm a vamp now, huh." Mark merely stated.

"Yes," she started crying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He took her in a bear hug, "Jade, it's fine. Don't cry, don't cry."

"Y-you're okay with this?" she stuttered.

"It's fine with me. But Mary-Lynnette will be a little ticked. I said that I wouldn't get changed till seventeen." With that he felt everyone's thoughts go dim; almost sad. "What's... What's wrong?"

Everyone was quiet for a while, even Jade in his arms. And when someone did speak up, it was surprisingly, Ash. Well, a blood, dirt, and tear streaked Ash, "I almost drained her of all her blood. We used some of Aunt B's blood packets from the basement. We've done all we can do, we have to wait until she awakens to access the damage."

"YOU! You drained my sister of all her blood?" Mark yelled, "I thought y'all were soulmates! How could you do that to Mary-Lynnette? You just got her back... You could have killed her." He shakily, pushing Jade to the side and pounced at Ash, teeth bared and his eyes going silver.

"MAAARK!" Jade screamed.

Ash didn't block the on coming attack, he welcomed it. He couldn't believe he had done this either. Kestrel was the one that jumped in front of him, stopping Mark in his tracks. He didn't want to hurt his blood sister, just his sister's... soulmate. _How could I be so stupid?_ He thought, _Even if he almost killed her, she will still love him. _

"Thank you." Ash said, hearing Marks thoughts, "I'm sorry I did this to her. I'm horrible, I hate myself. I hate what I am. You can attack me all you want when we figure out her condition. Hell, you can kill me if she doesn't live through this. I won't live in this world, if she is dead."

"Did you try to turn her?" Mark asked, dazed at what he had just heard from Ash, how mature and loving he really was to Mark's sister. He couldn't be mad anymore.

"It's not what she wants."

"So? If she lived, it would be better."

"Ash, Mark." Rowan's worried voice chimed. "She is awake." At that everyone was running, vampire speed to Rowan's room, that held Mary-Lynnette.

*******

Mary-Lynnette wasn't brain dead or even hurt more than the messy bite mark on her neck. She was just really tired. Seeing everyone race into the room at top speed made her even more tired. Looked around the room at all the faces, but her eyes went dazed.

"Why don't we talk to her one at a time." Jade suggested.

Everyone agreed.

First it was Rowan, she wanted to see how much pain Mary-Lynnette was in and see if anything went wrong with the blood they had to transfuse to her, everything looked fine and Rowan left.

Next was Kestrel. She just hugged Mary-Lynnette softly and walked away without a word.

Then Jade ran in happy to see her awake. Then started gushing about how Mary-Lynnette and Mark would be staying at th house all summer because their parents finally agreed to it.

Next was Mark, silent tears streamed down Mary-Lynnette's cheeks, he had changed into a vampire. He looked great, it fit him. Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't a vampire, now. Why hadn't Ash changed her when she had almost died? She couldn't even focus on what mark was saying. Mark left and Mary-Lynnette waited to see if Ash would come to talk to her.

He didn't, she waited for a long time. Nothing.

She couldn't help but think that something was wrong. She swung her legs out of Rowan's bed. There was a wave of startling vertigo, but it quickly passed. She opened the door and left to find out what was going on.


	6. Fighting

(A/N: I know, I'm sorry this took so long to get out. It's about 1:48 a.m. Texas time and I stayed up this late writing this for y'all. I'm having so much trouble in the boys department it's not funny. **If anyone knows how to tell your guy best friend that your in love with them, HELP!** yeah, it sucks. I love my best friend as more than a best friend... /: Well, I know, y'all don't need to hear about my personal life. I'll figure out some way to tell him.... Well, I doubled this story to make it longer because it took me so long to get it out to y'all. Well, I love that y'all are loving it. I'll try to write more tomorrow and get it out Thursday before I leave for the lake, WH-hooo! :D

kaylamarie2012: Thanks, I love support on my cliff hangers, I'm baaad about doing that. I hope you like this chapter.(:

queen-sarcasm: First off, love the name, sarcasm is great. And thanks so much for the support, and yes, love makes you do crazy things. What i kind of envisioned was that Jade and Mark had been talking about him changing a lot and she is young. She wanted him forever and that was the perfect time. Plus, He might have died. He had large gashes on his head but I may not have portrayed that enough, sorry, but I thank you so much.(:

Mew Felicia :thanks so much for the support and the advise. The spell check is horrible on this computer and I tired to make Ash a little less Edward Cullen like, even if there is no one like Edward Cullen, the most B-E-A-Utiful vampire EVER, but I understand were you were coming from. Thanks so much.(:

More next time. Keep those reviews coming! :D

(:Carissa)

**Disclaiming, NOW! XD**

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**

When Mary-Lynnette got to the stairs she couldn't tell shadow from shadow. Of course, the vampires didn't need as much light as her human eyes did. _Human,_ it ran through her mind without her wishing for it to do so. It made her reminiscence in when she actually thought about becoming a vampire. Killing Jeremy changed her mind on that one. She was one to love the dark, but to be a predator, killing things for life. No. That wasn't her. She descended the stairs slowly. One hand on the rail, the other out in front of her.

"Rowan?" she called to the darkness, there was no answer. She felt a cold chill go through her like a window was open, but it was the summer, it wasn't cold outside. She played it off as an overactive imagination and walked into the living room. There was a figure huddled up on the couch, like a sleeping body, "Jade?" she called a little quieter now. The lump twitched. "Who are you." she asked, her voice shaking as images of her dream infested her mind.

"It's just me." the figure said in a whisper, she couldn't tell who it was. "Mary-Lynnette, calm down, it me, Ash."

At this she was finally still. "Ash?"

"Yes, everyone else went out for... you know." he said, looking towards the door.

"Oh," was all Mary-Lynnette could say for a while. She was staring at the blood stained couch, she knew that that was her blood. She didn't remember being there bleeding, but something told her it was. A ripple shivered down her back and she felt Ash's eyes on her.

"Cold?"

"Yes." She lied smoothly. "Ash?"

"Yes?" He said in a cool voice. She could sense the facade and looked back at him to see what was wrong, there was pain in his eyes like he didn't want to be there.

All of a sudden Mary-Lynnette was terrified to know why.

"Why...." she hesitated, "Why didn't you come and talk to me when I woke up?"

"I knew you were okay."

"So? You could have come and seen me."

"Mary-Lynnette." He said her name harshly, she took an involuntary step back. "Have you seen yourself? You have dried blood all over your clothes and neck, some in you're hair and on your face." He turned away not able to look at her.

"So?" she said again, "It's not your fault!"

"Yes, yes it is. I took too much blood. I couldn't recognize my own soulmate and almost killed her myself! I swore if anything happened to you that I would kill the bastard that did it, but that bastard was me!"

"No. It wasn't your fault." she whispered but with every word her anger started flaring.. "If I didn't let you drink my blood you would have died! What would I do then? Live without you? Hell if I will! I had to experience a year without you. The dreams, the longing, EVERYTHING! I would not have gone a life time without you." she was shaking with anger at his stupid words, and she knew that he was listening and hating himself with every word that she said, but she couldn't stop them as they flew out of her mouth. They didn't talk for a long time, it could have been years for all Mary-Lynnette knew or cared. Finally she whispered, "Are you leaving again now?"

"All that work I did. All the making up. All the dragons I slaine, I ruined it in one night, the night I'm back, too! Mary, don't you get it? I've failed you."

"No" Mary-Lynnette whispered, "Everything is fine. Damn it, Ash! Why didn't you just turn me into a vampire? Then we wouldn't be going through this!"

At that Ash wheeled around on the heels of his feet, it was as fast and stealthy as a cat. "What?" he exclaimed, taken aback. "Mary, you said you didn't want to be changed."

"That was when you weren't thinking about leaving me again."

"Mary-Lynnette." he said with a laugh, "How in the world would I be able to leave you now? I don't think I could do it."

"Then why the... regret?"

"I almost killed you!" he threw his hand in the air in exasperation, and then Mary-Lynnette found herself running across the room to him. Hugging her body as close as she could to his. He looked her in the eyes and saw the same recognition that she was feeling. He was really here, he was back, the wait was over, he wasn't going to leave her again. He loved her, she loved him. Nothing would tear them apart again. She felt the pull and the she felt his thoughts and she knew that nothing of there relationship was lost. They were still connected by something that was bigger than him or her or both put together. They fell to the floor, she was cradled in his arms and his mouth had found hers.

_I love you._

_I know, I can tell. I love you_

_I know, I can tell._

_No more leaving._

_I couldn't if I tried._

_********_

The next morning. Mary-Lynnette found herself still cradled in Ash's arms. They were in his room. It wasn't like when she normally woke up—groggy and still tired. She was hyper-aware and she remembered everything from last night, her and Ash's fight, her and Ash's love, and her and Ash's blood sharing.

_Well, that would explain being hyper-aware of everything. _She thought to herself.

"Hey" came Ash's voice above her.

"Good morning." She said sitting up and stretching, not letting Ash's arms come away from around her waist.

"You okay?" He asked, amused.

"Yes I am," she whispered, turning in his arms to face him. "Maybe a little better than okay. Are you?"

"No, I'm terrible; dreadful even." He said with a grin, his eyes a soft orange in the upcoming sun's light brighting his room from the window across from the bed.

"Your so beautiful, you know that?" Ash said and Mary-Lynnette could only smile. _I'M not the beautiful one,_ she thought and Ash's eyes shined like he knew what she was thinking. Ash opened his mouth to say something.

But Mary-Lynnette's stomach decided to rumbled at that moment.

"Hungry?" He asked, his grim growing.

"A little." She said with a sheepish grin. "But I'm not ready to move yet." she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled her face to where she could kiss him with ease.

He kissed her calmly and pulled away after some time."We have time. Let's go eat."

"Okay..." she said as he pulled them both into sitting position.

As they descended the stairs, there was no smell of cooking, like Rowan like to do for the Humans in the the house. As a matter of fact they didn't see anyone. No one at all.

Mary-Lynnette frowned,

"They should be back...." Ash said, his words trailing off as they rounded the corner into the living room. He stopped dead in his tracks and, _What?_ She thought. Then, she got a look at the front window.

Mary-Lynnette gasped and blinked like it would go away. _I think I'm going to be sick_ she thought. She wanted to run to the bathroom, but was stunned into immobility.

Because on the windows, in a color that resembled blood was the words. "Miss them yet?"

"Ash." Mary-Lynnette could only get that out because she was scared.

"Mary-Lynnette, go upstairs." He said, she didn't move. All she could think about was Her Brother and blood kin.

"No." Ash and Mary-Lynnette said at the same time. One was thinking _They aren't gone. _The other was thinking, _hell if I'M letting you go find them alone._

_Mark? Bright, newly vampire, and in love, Mark? Rowan? Calm, cool and understanding, Rowan? Jade? Sweet, in love, beautiful, Jade? Kestrel? Strong, courageous, golden eyed, Kestrel?WHERE ARE YOU ALL? _Mary-Lynnette thought. Her mind trying to figure out where they would go.

Then Ash, a vampire and Mary-Lynnette, a human that just acquired vampire blood that night; heard a wolf howl in the distance.


	7. Read

Hey Readers!

Okay, don't kill me, I know that it's been a while since I've posted but I was rereading my story and.... It sucks! There a grammar mistakes everywhere and not enough feeling. So, I wanted to know what y'all thought. Would you rather have more feeling added to:

Coming home.

Dreaming.

And

Fighting.

Or are they okay and I should go on with chapter 7... I'm not sure and I would hate for ANYTHING I write to be bad.

If you decide that I should redo those three chapters then I'll post chapter one and seven at the same time, then two and eight, and then three and nine.

I understand if this was disappointing but I write for y'all. I would hate for anything to be TERRIBLE! O.o

Well, vote by reviewing and telling me what you think.

Thanks, Carissa. (:


	8. Chaos

**Okay, so life is hectic. I'm trying to figure out my best friend issue and it seems like we're staying best friends, which sucks! Hm, Well here is the next part, I know y'all will hate me. But here it is.(:**

**(:Carissa.**

* * *

Right away Ash was ready to take action.

"Mary-Lynnette" he sighed turning his back on the bloody window. He could smell the stench of goat blood. She looked at him squarely, already seeing what he would say and ready to shut him up, "Go up stairs—"

"No." She said, cutting him off, "I'm not staying here. You don't even know where to find them!"

"Mary-Lynnette" he sighed again, his hands in fists.

"I love them, too. I need to help find them." She said indifferently, never looking away from his ever-changing eyes. A small tear ran down her face, but she made no move to clear it. Minutes went by and they just stared into eachother's eyes wondering which would give in first. Ash found himself focused on how much she had changed again. She was taller and broader in ways, he could see she looked wiser in the eyes and there faint hint of sadness.

"Mary-Lynnette. You don't understand, this is dangerous. If something happened to you then what would I do? Do you know how that would feel?" He saw shock pass through those dark eyes, then anger.

"ASH!" She yelled; her hands flung up in exasperation, "What do you think this year has been like for ME!" She looked exasperated. Like she couldn't believe her ears. Ash could tell she was struggling to keep her head in this, and it made him want to laugh. He didn't, and she continued, her voice getting quieter, "anyways,You don't know what your looking for; you don't even have a plan."

"That's true..." He said, thinking about it for the first time. "Well, we can't just stand around here. What do we do?"

"Well, we could go to Mad Dog Creek and—" a thud on the porch cut her sentence short. Ash grabbed her and sped into the kitchen. She barely had time to catch her breath before he was already outside inspecting the front yard.

She was shocked into immobility. _What the hell?!_ She thought.

_Come here Mary-Lynnette, _Ash's thought entered her mind, _It's... It's Jade._

Mary-Lynnette's eyes went huge, this was all so confusing. First there gone and now _only _Jade was back? What had happened to the others? She started towards the front door, opening it with apprehension. Then she saw Ash's ash blond hair and knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her, until he turned around to look at her.

She gasped and stepped back, her hand covered her mouth as she looked into golden eyes... eyes like the werewolf. The body it was over wasn't Jade's but the real Ash's. "Get away from him!" she screamed, panicked, she slashed at him. The werewolf flinched back and laughed, the sound was almost a cough growl. It scared Mary-Lynnette. "I've faced a werewolf before." She whispered, racking her brain for a way to get Ash and herself out of there alive, "I can beat you."

"Oh," It said like a gurgle and it started changing. It was almost the werewolf from the clearing broad, tall and skinny. It's color was the same deep brown, but it had the head, length, and probably the strength of a bear. Like it couldn't decide between the two. "But, my dear, I'm not only a wolf. I can be anything I want. You can call me a dragon." It growled, coiling like a spring.

_I'm so sorry Ash, I have failed._ She thought, the tears rushing into her eyes and down her face,_ If you can hear me... I love you._ She watched as the half and half thing charged her, but she couldn't even move to cover her face.

_*******_

_What? _Ash thought. Mary-Lynnette's kicking, screaming and rolling around in his bed woke him up, startled.

"Ow, stop! Don't hurt my ash! NO!" Her breath was raged, she screamed as Ash tried to wake her up, but she wouldn't be awakened.

"Mary, love, get up." Ash whispered telepathically and out loud, she just clawed at the air and screamed louder.

"You killed him!" She screamed, venomously, "You killed MY ASH!"

"I'm right here, Mary-Lynnette. Right here, wake up!" he doubly screamed. It did no good and he was getting very aggravated. So, he called to Rowan and everyone else in the house, as he tried to pin Mary-Lynnette's arms to her side, but she just raked his face. The slashes fixing themselves almost instantly with the feeding he did the night before. "Mary-Lynnette." he whispered, waiting. She had grown silent, trying to catch her breath, but she still wouldn't open her eyes.

Finally, Ash felt Rowan's presents in the room, "Rowan. She won't wake up." As Ash said this, Mary-Lynnette started wailing again. He grabbed both her arms in his unbreakable strength. "Rowan!"

"Aw, you care so much." Ash whirled at the voice that wasn't his sister's. To see an ash blond head with gold eyes. The man was already in the process of shape-shifting. He looked like a leapard, but ten times the normal size. "Too, bad she isn't coming back from dream land." It's voice was almost to garbled for Ash to understand. "Especially since when you die in your dreams, there is no coming back."

Ash understood this.

In a flash he was off the bed, in a crouch ready to attack, but the leopard was swifter. They attacked and attacked as the sound of Mary-Lynnette's voice slowly died away.


	9. Nightmares

Hey! This one it longer than usual... It is also A little iffy if anyone will like it. I just wanted something... amazing between them.(: Tell me what you truly think. If that parts not good than I will cut it because I have a alternate ending... but I may use it in the next chapter. Well, just to update y'all I'm still in love with my best friend and he doesn't want me like that, so I have to deal with it... /: That's why I write, I love to get lost in the words and emotions. I'm still his best friend I just kind of hurt around him now... Anyone, advise? I've already tried going out with someone else and staying away. No dice. Well, **Disclaiming the characters, just by the way. **I hope you enjoy.... I'm scared to see what y'all think...

:)Carissa.

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"Oh, stop! Don't hurt my ash! NO!"

Pain surged through Mary-Lynnette's body as the "Dragon's" as it said, claws ripped her skin. Tears flooded her eyes fast as she screamed and kicked at the thing, oh excuse me, "Dragon". She knew Ash was in trouble, she couldn't do anything about it. She was stuck and there was no one to help her. It clawed at her neck tearing the tissues exposing the wind pipe and esophagus. She wanted it to kill her, she wouldn't live without Ash. She just wouldn't. She had already given up fighting when she heard, _Mary, love, get up._

_Ash?_ She thought, pausing mid-kick, to listen and that was all the beast needed. It welled up and went for the kill, about to tear her head off. "_Shit!"_ Mary-Lynnette breathed, and snaked between the Dragon's hind-legs at the last minute.

As fast as she got away from him, she was on his back, grabbing handfuls of fur and pulling while simultaneously screaming, venomously,"You killed him." Grab."You killed MY ASH!" Tear. The beast growled and bucked her off it's back, she landed perfectly, ready to strike again. The dragon turned, lightning fast to face Mary-Lynnette. It was smirking—what could pass for a smirk on the beasts snarling face.

It said something, that sounded like, youishawhstufidhuuuuumain, and charged.

_I'm right here, Mary-Lynnette. Right here, wake up. _She head in her mind, as if he were still alive. His voice sounded so real, so close. It brought tears to her eyes, but when she thought about what the words meant she was very confused, _Wake up?_

As she thought this through, the beast got close to her again, but for some reason she sped away at the last minute and ended up by a tree. _What? _She thought, confused by both thing that were happening. She laughed, "I'm crazy."

The Dragon... beast... thing--WHATEVER!--reared up again, ready to attack but she did it again, not knowing how she did. She kept it up, time and time again, and It followed her around the house, like an idiotic game of slow cat and super-fast mouse. She kept up the game listening...

"Rowan. She won't wake up." She heard Ash say, it confused her, _Wake up? _The words struck a cord again, _"_Rowan!_" _

Finally, she understood, the speed, this dragon thing, hearing Ash... As she made the connection the beast came down on her, she started screaming. Lashing out, trying to find Ash's voice for comfort.

_Aw, you care so much._ She heard the beast in her mind, almost human like.

"How are you doing this?" She screamed at it, fighting with the razor sharp claws holding her arms down. Her heart was beating fast and there was sweat pouring from her body. She screamed and bashed at it, but the beast threw it's head back and laughed, or gargled.

"Again, I'm a Dragon. I can do whatever the hell I want, little girl."

"Then, why are you attacking me? What am I to you?" She said trying to calm down so she can fight him. _I can only get him off by surprise. Keep him talking._

_"_You, my dear are very important, but you'll see that in the future._" _He said and bounded back. "That doesn't mean I won't fight you fairly though, child."

_Too, bad she isn't coming back from dream land. Especially since when you die in your dreams, there is no coming back._

_*******_

Ash and the leopard attacked. Jumped back. Attacked. Jumped back. For what seemed like hours for Ash. This thing was relentless.

"I'm a Dragon, Vampire. I can wreck more than this room."

Ash just stared, forgetting that he was supposed to attack. now _Dragon?!_ He thought wildly. Dragons had been asleep for years, decades even. All the witch's put them to sleep! What the--

"Now I got you." The leopard grunted in a discorded tone and jumped on Ash. He made a surprised sound but couldn't do anything, now the beast would get to Mary-Lynnette after doing away with him. It was all over. Goodbye. _I love you, Mary-Lynnette._

"Ash. hell no you don't!" He heard a beautiful voice say, the beast jumped in surprised ready to face an attack.

Ash looked at his Mary-Lynnette, His Mary-Lynnette's hair and what little clothes she had on were arrayed from her messy sleeping , she was holding a metal bar and there was fire in her eyes. He took that opportunity to strike the neck of the Dragon. Ash's teeth sank into the grisly fur of the leopard and it shook in anger.

"Get... off... ME!" It gurgled, loudly, and threw Ash across the room.

"ASH!" Mary-Lynnette screamed, and ran to where he went through the wall. pain surged through Ash's body, but they had more important things to worry about.

"I'm okay, Mary-Lynnette. Get the—"

But it was too late. The Dragon was already gone.

_ *******_

_"Shit!" _Mary-Lynnette cursed, angerly. Ash climbed slowly out of the rubble that was his bathroom wall thanking the house builders they put the toilet on the other side of the bathroom.

"Love," he said, limping over to her. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

She clenching her eyes and fists. Wanting to hit anything, but unable to move. "It is my fault. I'm stupid, I had a weapon, and I didn't do anything. I could have stopped him!" When he didn't say anything she opened her eyes slowly. Meeting calm blue-green ones. Ash grabbed her hands calmly opened her hands up, bringing one up to his face and slowly kissing it without breaking his gaze.

_Mary-Lynnette, It's okay. _He thought towards her, _I'm just glad you're okay, you scared me, I thought he would kill you. _

_"_How was he in my dream and reality anyways?_" _She asked out loud, hearing her voice shake she switched to thought, too. _How did I hear you and in my dream? It all felt so real, I thought I lost you, too. _He smiled at her, and she felt the silver cord thrum between them, pulling her into his arms.

Ash must have felt it too because just as she started to fall, he caught her up in his iron grip. Carring the very tired Mary-Lynnette to his messy bed, _My love, are you okay? _

She laughed, and looked into his now navy and purple, loving eyes and thought, _Shouldn't I be asking you that question? You just went through a wall._

_I'm okay, Vampires heal fast... _She felt that there was an undercurrent to his words, but he was hiding it behind a wall.

_Ash, what? _

_Mary-Lynnette, I'm just happy to have you alive. _With that, his lips were on hers. As sweet as can be, tears fell from her eyes. She didn't lose him, but she came so close. Though, he was here, and she was in his solid arms, warm and safe._ And he isn't leaving again,_ she thought protectively while putting her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

She broke the kiss and looked him in the eyes, softening her gaze as she pulled her shirt over her head, she heard him gasp, as his eyes roamed over the exposed skin. She was scared she went too far.

Did Ash Redfern say that he had never seen her look so beautiful before? Now, as Mary-Lynnette's clothes were slowly being lost he felt an overwhelming need that was echoed in her feelings, too. He pulled his shirt over his head, too, and put a shaking hand on her cheek trailing it down her neck, chest and stomach. She shivered in pleasure as her eyes rolled back. The lightning to her heart was shocking but not unbearable. She leaned down and knowing what she wanted, his lips were on hers at vampire speed.

She knew what was going to happen next, but had never done it_. _All of a sudden she was taken by a shock of scared feelings. What would come next?

As Ash read this thought he broke the kiss rolling over so he was hovering over her, "Mary, We can't..." He trailed off, unsure.

_Why was I scared? He was about to totally stop if I wanted to. He loves me, and will stop at anytime. It's okay..._ She urged herself, feeling the calmness set over her, she said, tugging at his belt buckle, "Yes, we can. I want you."

Hearing it out loud almost made him forget what he was talking about.

Almost.

"This would be just another thing I have to make up for. I was already so horrible, I can't take your... Your innocence." He said, placing an unsteady hand on her cheek, she sigh into it smelling his unmistakable sent.

"It's okay. You're mine forever. It wouldn't matter if you wanted to leave," She said unbuckling his belt and throwing aside, "We're Soulmates. That will never change. I love you." His lips were on hers again as she pushed him and they rolled over, setting her on top. She needed to be in control if they were going to get anywhere, she knew she was ready for this, a whole year of longing and wishing and he was hers _now and forever__._

"Mary-Lynnette! I almost forgot..." he said rolling them over and got out of the bed.

She had to hold in a growl, "Ash, What?"

"That night..." he started unsure again, "I wanted to give you something." He said laying back down, "I love you, Mary-Lynnette and I'm ready to be with you forever. I know your smarter than to get engaged at this age, but this... This is a promise ring. I promise one day. When your ready I will marry you--if you want to... anyways."

_Yes._ Was her last thought before pure bliss took over, and thoughts weren't good enough to describe the sensation of every touch and all the fire they were producing as they lost themselves in eachother's love.

* * *

Don't you love it? There's no Cliffhanger.... Unless you count, _What if it WAS a mistake. _as one.(:  
By for now.  
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	10. New Feelings

This one is longer than my normal chapters because, well, it's an important chapter! You'll see why. (: Well, I wanted to thank everyone who has kept up with my story so prominently and I would like to say "OH MY GOD! I HIT ONE-HUNDRED REVIEWS!" That's AMAZING! XD I'm so excited, I've been dancing around my house—that is not made up, I'm being totally truthful! Well, This one took so long because, well, we're having money issues—who isn't—and I am desperately trying to finish "Black Fire" The real book I'm writing... Well, since I'm actually going for a published book here, I wanted y'all to know that 'Carissa' is sadly my fake name, lots of people do that. Well really, my name is Natalie Baker. I'm sorry I wasn't truthful with y'all about that... it made me feel bad, well, please keep reading and reviewing! Tell me what you think..

Natalie/Carissa!(:

(Disclaimed!)

* * *

As Mary-Lynnette laid beside her sleeping Ash, her body sore and tender, she couldn't bring herself to be mad like she would've been if it were any other guy. Yes, she was a virgin before... last night, but she knew what it would feel like. Her and her mom had that talk many years ago. And yes, sex before marriage is wrong, but they were soulmates and promised to each other now.

At that she had to look down at the ring placed on her left hand. It sparkled in the sliver of moonlight that showed through the curtain. It was a joyous amazing night, something that she would remember for the rest of her life. Yes, she wasn't mad, but why did she feel like it was wrong timing and wrong... just wrong?

"Mary?" She heard Ash's lazy whisper.

"Yes..." She let her word trail off, nervously. The same question that went through every girls head after... something like that, went though her head now, _Was I good?_She knew that it was wrong to wonder, but she was also scared to find out.

"Why are you still awake?" He asked, before breaking into a loud yawn, "Are you okay?"

"Uh," she hesitated secondly, "Yeah."

Sadly, her pause registered in her thoughts and Ash knew, "Mary-Lynnette?" She rolled over to face him, but instantly regretted it as pain shot through her, she winced, "Are you okay?" Ash asked firmly.

"Do you think...." she started scared like, "That was the right thing for us to do? I mean, We knew each other for a couple weeks before you left and you just got back yesterday and I don't know, but if you think it was okay then I guess it was okay, but I'm scared it wasn't right and you were all, 'I'd have to make this up again.' and I don't want you to leave again, but of course you could if you wanted to but—"

Ash cut her off, "MARY! Calm down...I'm not leaving. I'm sorry that you're having second thoughts and if I could I would take it all back—if you wanted me to that is. But I will only ever love you, Mary-Lynnette, remember that."

_Sorry._ She thought towards him, _I don't usually ramble like that, I love you._

_It's okay, Mary-Lynnette. _He said scooting over to hold her in his arms, she rested her head on his naked chest, breathing in and out slowly, in sync with Ash. As she was about to be asleep when something came back to her, something important.

_Miss them yet?_ Echoed in her mind, the words from the window had in her dream... the dream that happened to be controlled by an evil Dragon.

"The others!" Mary-Lynnette screamed, remembering that in her dream the other's were gone.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked, confused, but Mary-Lynnette was already out of the bed and grabbing clothes off the ground, ending up in Ash's boxer's and her own tank top. She ran from the room leaving Ash in the bed.

"ROWAN!" She screamed, running down the stairs to where the girl's rooms were located, "JADE! MARK! KESTREL!" She named off, busting into Rowan's room. All of a sudden she heard a high-pitched scream coming from Jade and Mark's small room,Why Jade, why is it always... "JADE!" She screamed again, all but breaking down the door, Jade was in there, thankfully so was the vampiric Mark. The room was trashed, with all of Jade's favorite books on the ground, the lamp knocked over, the bed over turned, and two kitten caresses and a grown cat's on the ground, with a crying Jade over them.

"what happened!?" Mary-Lynnette yelled, pain in her abdomen not truly forgotten, but beside the point, "What's up with the kittens?" No one answered her, Mark was picking up the books as Jade picked up the cats, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What. Happened?" She asked again, grabbing the lamp and putting it back on the table.

"What the hell?" Ash said, walking in and stopping mid-step, taking in the room. "What happened?" He stopped Jade from leaving the room, grabbing her by the arms and asking her directly, "What. Happened?"

"No one will tell me!" Mary-Lynnette sigh, exasperated.

"What?" Ash said picking up one of the caresses from his younger sister, "Cat got your tongue?" He sneered, a forced grin on his face.

"STOP! JEWELS!" Jade sobbed, grabbing for the kitten. "Give her to me, Ash, please?"

"Tell me what's going on then!" He said, holding the body farther from Jade. She jumped and grabbed it, careful not to damage the already ripped up kitten.

Suddenly he turned to look at Mary, questioningly, "Mary-Lynnette." He said seriously, "How did you know they were in trouble? Rowan and Kestrel's rooms look the same as this one. They're not in there and there is blood—not human blood." He added, seeing her distress.

"The... that dream." she said slowly.

"It... it was an eagle." Mark spoke up, fixing the bed. "It talked... It called itself a... dragon."

"It killed the cat's and threw... us... around." Jade spoke up, nervously.

"Is everyone stammering tonight or is it just me noticing it?" Ash asked, his voice as careful as Jade grabbing the kitten, as he put all the papers back on the desk. "Come on. Let's search the others girl's room." Jade excused herself to bury the kittens in the backyard, tears still streaming down her face.

"Ash, what's going on?" Mary-Lynnette asked, grabbing his arm as he lead her to the room across the hall.

"This Dragon better have a good reason for doing this." He said like he didn't hear what Mary-Lynnette said, and he didn't. He was listening out around the house for anything out of the ordinary, _How is this thing doing all this at once? _He thought. Just because Ash was tough and had to be tough for Mary-Lynnette and the others, he was scared. Scared to lose his family, scared to lose his love, but he covered it up with his tough words and his uncaring attitude, though it really couldn't hide the feelings from Mary. He couldn't hide anything from her.

So, she probably knew about his scared feelings. He was scared that she would get hurt, he was scared that he couldn't protect her from a dragon like this one, but he had to.

unless—

"Mary-Lynnette..." Ash said.

"Ash, pain..." she squeaked and just as the words were out she fell, unconscious, again.

********

Rowan was scared, she couldn't see where her and Kestrel were, but she knew they weren't alone. There was a mind near by, an unexpectedly bright one, but the mind had walls all around itself. So she couldn't read it. She didn't know how they got in this stuffy room, her and Kestrel had been knocked out at the house and awoke here.

_Rowan? _Kestrel mentally called to her, not daring to mutter a word aloud, _can you get a read on that other mind? _

_No... _Rowan thought, back. _Probably a guard. Hey, how... bright does his light seem to you?_

_Like... normal?_

_Very strange..._ Rowan thought, remembering what Ash had told her once when they were alone before he left a whole year ago: _She burns brighter than anyone I've ever known. _She thought about this a while. _Could it—_

_Rowan! _Kestrel thoughts screamed to her in shock, _Do you think?_

_Hey can I have _my own _thoughts at all? _

_Well, if you want to have your own thoughts then block them, _Kestrel thought, quieting her mind down, _I'm tired..._

"Hey..." The soft voice scared Rowan and Kestrel into standing position and though they could move their arms—which were tied with a wood-type rope, making it impossible.

"Who are you?" Kestrel barked.

After a slight hesitation, the soft voice said, "Kris. I'm prisoner here, just as both of you are." As he said this, he slightly opened his mind so they could tell that he wasn't lying also showing that he was a human.

"How long have you been here?" Rowan asked, keeping her calm, as always. "And why?"

"Well, Have you heard this before?

_One from the land of kings long forgotten;  
One from the hearth which still holds the spark;  
One from the Day world where two eyes are watching;  
One from the twilight to be one with dark._"

"Yes, the Wild Powers." Kestrel said, "I've heard that they've found three of them. '_Land of kings long forgotten_' Delos Redfern. '_Hearth which still holds the spark_' Iliana Dominick-Harman. '_Day world where two eyes are watching_' Jezebel—I mean Jez Redfern and '_Twilight to be one with dark' Hasn't—_"

"No, don't say it..." He said, his voice full of an unexpected malence, "you see, '_Twilight to be one with dark_' Kristian McNole, at your service—though, I like Kris better."

"HOW!?" Kestrel asked, trying to figure out how that could be possible, how Circle daybreak didn't know anything about any of this.

"I think," Rowan started, "You should probably explain how that is, Kris..."

"Well, you see I was taken from my home when I was a mere child. The Dragon you probably already know about him, John Donurk, took me and raised me, leaving me human. He said that I would be changed into a vampire at seventeen, but before they changed me there was an accident. A maiden angered me while bandaging my bleeding calf, I don't remember what the fight was about, but I remember the blinding blue lightning and then she had disappeared. John had fought for weeks as I was stranded in my room about me. Finally one of our guards came and got me. Throwing me down here."

"And how old were you when they threw you in here?" Rowan asked, quietly.

"Five."

"So," Kestrel started slowly, "You've lived on the outside of the Night World—twilight you could say—and were meant to be part of it until they figure out that you were a Wild Power, so they threw you down—"

All of a sudden there was a blinding white light, it cut Kestrel's sentence short they all squinted into it. "Hey!" A voice grizzly voice yelled into the room, "No talking!"

"I'm so—" Rowan started, but the guard didn't want to hear anything from her, in five short steps he was over her, he grabbed her by the arm and threw her across the room, where she hit the wall, sliding down it she didn't make a sound besides a slight whimper.

Since, the room was silent after that, the guard left, leaving the door wide open. "Here." he said and they were thrown two blood packets and a bag that smelled of human food, "Eat."

The door shut loudly.

"Rowan!" Kris and Kestrel yelled.

"I'm fine," She said sitting up, as she righted herself her bound hand accidentally touched, skin that wasn't hers. All of a sudden her body was filled with Electricity. It came from her hand and went down to her toes, back up to her brain.

"Hey, don't I _know_ you?" Rowan and Kris said at the same time.

All Rowan could see in her mind was a big flashing sign, _Soulmate, soulmate, soulmate._

_

* * *

_

Wasn't that just great? I thought Rowan deserved love. Well, I'm fighting myself on the idea that Mary-Lynnette should be changed into a Vampire. Wouldn't you think that Ash would try to persuade her once again? Well, Review and tell me. Also, tell me what you think of Rowan And Kris, and Kris' story. Please, I need thoughts—good or bad, just review and tell me. I can always change it up.(: Surprises coming soon, stay tooned! :D


	11. Hope in vain

(AN: Hey All, thanks so much for reading and reviewing it makes me so happy that y'all like this story and don't worry I will never not finish a story, that is something I hate. Well, I'm also glad that no one was mad about my name. Carissa was actually the character in my story! XD Well, Please review this time. I'm getting those "Favorites" things but those of you that added me to favorites aren't all reviewing and that's your business but I would like to here what y'all like and don't like. Well, I was wondering can we hit... 175 reviews this time around? Just wondering. Please try and I'll double the next chapter.(: Well, I love all of the loyal fans and the ones that take the time to read my author notes and comment on them.(: Also ahead on time I didn't edit this because I had to get it out because it's been so long since I added a chapter... Don't shoot, I'm innocent! Well, here's chapter ten. Enjoy!

:)Natalie!)

**Disclaaaaaaaaaaaaaimed!**

* * *

Mark put his hand on his soulmate's bare arm, feeling the electricity hum between them. She had just finished digging her cat, Tiggy and it's new born kittens a grave. Mark was heartbroken over the loss, but that was because he felt it through the bond. The Soulmate bond. Don't get him wrong, he cared about his love's animals, but he was more mad. How could a random eagle three times the normal size fly through their open window. Flying at Jade and himself, picking at their tough skin making it bleed, though they closed up as fast as they were opened. The eagle tangled it's claws in Jade's long silvery hair and pulled, the sound of her scream was too much for Mark to bare, he hit at it, and it let go, knocking down many things of value like the four hundred dollar lamp or the thousand dollar pure silver desk were nothing. He thought that it had flown in by mistake, and tried to shoo it to the open window again to no avail, it quickly changed, reforming into a human man with ash blond hair and golden eyes. In the right light Ash and the shifter could have looked like brothers... Twins even. This pissed Mark off. he didn't know about what happened up in Ash's room and somehow didn't even hear it, though he is a vampire.

"Jade." Mark said cautiously, "Get behind me." When she carried out the command, Mark met manic golden eyes with his calm icy blue once evenly.

"Ha! You think that you can save her? You all will die in the end. Just not tonight." He said, he reached under their bed, flipping into the air, exposing the mother, father and kittens. He grabbed the male cat—Tiggy—and laughed manically, which seems his default mood. Tiggy meowed, seeing death come it's way.

"No." Mark heard Jade whisper behind me, though she could see the mother cat grabbing her kittens and moving them to a hole in the wall, she and Mark could tell the mother wasn't fast enough.

The shifter tore Tiggy apart, then grabbed the remaining two kittens, he tore them apart as well, with his human teeth and human hands. It was sickening, how he didn't even care that the kittens were alive and moving, crying. Jade gasped and silent tears seeped into Mark's shirt. He was mad, blisteringly, angry. No one upset Jade like that, but his anger forced him into immobility. The man continued."Tonight I mess with your vampire minds. Tomorrow.... Tomorrow is another day." He smiled manically and just like that the human, was a small dove. It flew away. Just as Jade decided to come out of shock and scream.

"Mark? Mark!" Jade awoke Mark from the memory. "Are you okay?"

When he turned his attention to Jade, her tear streaked face made him very anxious, like something could be prowling in the dark though his vampire eyes could see in the dark as well as the day. "Let's go inside, Jade." He said quietly, though he could feel the need for blood, it wasn't as bad as it could have been at the moment, so he didn't really worry yet.

"O-okay..." she stuttered as the tears started to form in her eyes again.

"I'm sorry, Jade." He repeated yet again, this time she just fell towards him as he put his arms out to support her. She didn't want to walk, he could sense it and so he picked her up, bridal style and carried her into the house and into their room. Jade he laid her on the bed, and she fell to sleep, muttering about the poor kittens. The mother cat was pulling the kitten's back in their room and onto the bed beside the sleeping Jade. He smiled as the kitten's fell asleep, too. That's when Mark heard Ash. _Mark! Up here, NOW! _Mark looked at Jade and it seemed that Jade didn't hear the physic shout.

He left her quickly, vowing not to leave her their alone for too long.

As Mark ran, he felt the clasp of fear grab hold of his stomach, making him run faster, he didn't know why, but his thoughts were on Mary-Lynnette. Something was wrong with her, he knew it.

He got up the stairs to find Ash and over Mary-Lynnette, unconscious lying on the ground, hair flung like a chocolate waterfall around her. "What happened, Ash?" Ash couldn't say anything aloud and so he replayed the event that went on in his head, for Mark to see.

_Can you get a read on her? _Mark wondered.

_What do you think I've been trying to do, _Ash's thoughts were hilariously sarcastic, _play __checkers? I really don't think so! I have been trying to, but all her—dreams you could say aren't about what's going on, all she said was 'Ash... pain' and passed out!_

_We'll never know until she is awake..._ Mark thought, unhelpfully._ Let's move her to your bed, I really don't want to leave Jade in our room alone..._

_Well, _Ash had to think about it for a minute..._ Call her up here. So, we can stay together. When the sun comes up we will figure out what's we will do about Kestrel and Rowan. Right now..._ "Right now, let's live through tonight..."

*********

Rowan knew what the Soulmate principle was, her and Ash talked a lot about it and she also heard the rumors flying around her old home on the island. She knew about the entering of eachother's mind, she knew about only feeling whole with the one you were Soulmated to, she knew about the electricity, the love, the pull, even the silver string. She just never thought it would happen to her, but it wasn't unwelcome.

"What the hell was that?" Kris said, his voice losing the calm it had had before.

"Um..." was what Rowan could only say, _Kestrel, help? Explain the Soulmate principle. _

_NO! _Kestrel thought back, in distress, _You two are Soulmates?_

_Do you have an explanation for how I all of a sudden recognize him and the electricity? _Rowan thought, her body was paralyzed, _Please explain it to him, I... can't._

"Someone! Please!" He yelled again.

"Calm yourself!" Kestrel yelled back, then gained her calm facade again, "You want to know what's going on?"

"Isn't that want I've been saying?" Kris said impatiently. He would never tell them, but he was suddenly scared for the first time since he was taken from his parents. The electricity running from her hand into his like a circuit was completed, scared him, but he couldn't move his hand away. He had never met this girl, but he felt that he should have met her a long time ago.

"Well then, kiss her."

"WHAT!?" Rowan and Kris said, incredulously.

"That will explain everything," Kestrel thought about it a second, "Or so Ash said."

"Who's Ash? What are y'all crazy?" He was shaking his head, "I'm sorry, Rowan, but I don't even know you, I haven't seen you before... I've never even kissed a girl... I can't—"

Rowan's lips cut off his hysterical words, vampiricly **(AN: Is that a word?)** fast.

_Whoa... _Rowan thought in amazement, as she was suddenly pulled into a place she couldn't even begin to describe. She could feel her amazement echoed by his. They had been pulled together like two droplets converging into one luminous and beautiful drop. Something that no other person would understand. And she knew now that just hearing about this wasn't anything like witnessing it first hand. She could feel that it was his mind, unblocked and beautiful. She was surrounded by soft sage green light and pictures of a small boy with midnight black tousled curly hair and green eyes the color for his mind was playing with an older man and woman, these pictures were surrounded in golden light, but every other picture was surrounded in blacks and another color she had no word for. One was the blue fire he had described as his power, killing a woman. Another was a man with golden hair and manic golden eyes, she could feel his resentment to that picture strongly like he was looking on with her. She didn't like the pictures in front of her and pushed away, welcoming the golden pictures.

_Rowan? What's going on? _Kris thought, somehow knowing that she could read the thought at the moment and he could read hers.

_The Soulmate Principle is what's going on, Kris. We are meant to be, destined. It's an old power that's been reawakened, Night worlders are falling in love with humans and—_

_What? _He cut her off then, _did you really call me human? _He was at awe with the sweet love that was radiating through himself with just that single word.

_Yes, that is what you are. _She said, the feeling of love singing through her as well. Though she didn't know this Kris at all, she felt that he had already opened up to her more than anyone else. She knew that he missed his family from the golden pictures and she knew that he strongly disliked the golden man in the black picture.

_I'm vermin. _He said sourly. _I was raised on that thought and that when I was a vampire I would be... superior to humans. _

_You're not vermin. You are... _I trailed off picking his full name out of his mind, _You are Kristian Michael Lacey, and you are my soulmate... and I will get you out of here... if you want to go with me. _She added nervously.

_Where? _

And she showed him where she lived, the house in Briar Creek. And open space and the nice people, she showed him Mark and Jade. Ash and Mary-Lynnette. Kestrel and herself. She heard him gasp at the picture of her.

_You're... you are so beautiful, Rowan. _He thought in awe.

_Thanks, _she thought softly, _so, will you? _

_Surprisingly, yes I will. I have nowhere else to go... _She felt elated. She wasn't alone in the world, there was someone that would understand her, in the would. Someone to talk to, someone to comfort her instead of being the one to comfort everyone else. There was love.

Suddenly, the was a flash of light and they broke apart, still connected by the silver cord, so, they could read each other's thoughts.

The guard was in the doorway, with a gun in his hand he turned the lights on in the room and Kris gasped as he looked around in awe, _my old room... I didn't know they were keeping me in here. _Rowan looked around the room, a room for a prince, though there were spiderwebs everywhere. The desk in the corner of the square room was made of pure gold, you could tell. And so was the floor and the bed. There were stuffed animals on platinum-looking shelves. They were against a golden wall, and Kestrel was laying in the middle of the room, looking at the ceiling. There was no telling how long Kris and Rowan were in their embrace, but Rowan was now cradled in Kris's arms.

"Off each other." He said to Kris and Rowan. Rowan jumped out of his arms and sat beside him, not wanting to be too far away. "You get light from know on. The windows were replaced my wood and the walls are wooden, too. Do not try to escape. I'm out here listening." He was definitely a vampire, his skin smooth and pale. He shut the door and Kestrel jumped up.

"So, how was you two's own little world?" No one answered and she started walking around the room. "We've been here only a day. What do we do about being here? How do we get the message to Jade?" She sat on the bed and sank into it gratefully.

"We can't we'll have to wait till Donurk wants to see us. Then we..." _Break out. _

Kestrel smiled at the challenge.

**************

Mary-Lynnette woke up groggy, her vision too acute and her head cloudy. She looked around and found that she was in Ash's room again, but everything was too blurry to understand.

"Mary-Lynnette... Mary-Lynnette! Are you okay?" She saw a figure blur across the room.

"Huh? Oh..." _that's me, isn't it? _"sure... Who are you?"

"I'm Ash! Your Soulmate."

"Oh, I'm tired."

"Ash what's wrong with her?" A high soprano voice's soft murmur reached Mary-Lynnette's ear, but she really didn't think about the fact that they were talking about her. She just wanted to sleep again. It felt good to sleep.

"Hold on!" Ash said, A little too rudely as he counted back in his head to how many blood switches they did... _1... 2... 3... "SHIT!" _He thought and said out loud, Mark and Jade looked at him questioningly. "We've blood exchanged too many times. She's going to turn into the walking dead if I don't turn her into a vampire... But she doesn't want to be one! What do I do, she will hate me if I do it! Arghh! Why didn't I think about it? Am I that stupid?"

"Hahahaha!" Mary-Lynnette found his rant rather entertaining. And couldn't help but laugh, but soon enough she didn't feel awake enough to laugh.

"Ash," Jade said, her voice soft again, "You'll lose her if you don't. This time for good. No blood packets to help you this time."

Ash crawled into his bed beside Mary-Lynnette and took her in his arms. "I will make you a vampire now, Mary-Lynnette, this might not make much since right now, but I'm sorry... I hope you will forgive me for this." and just as his fangs bit into her soft sweet neck... The window shattered and the stupid werewolf/dragon/bear/eagle/dove thing was in the room.

"Your relentless!" Jade screamed, and attacked it head on, Mark joining her.

And Ash couldn't help them or Mary-Lynnette would surely die.


	12. Twists

(A/N: So, this chapter is crazy and has alot of POV changes because the story is splitting into many different areas of action! Haha, I hope you like it. I'm so sorry that I haven't posted lately, my computer hasn't been picking up the internet at all. It was pissing me off. I'm so sorry. Please don't lose intrest! Well, here it is and review and tell me how to make it better. Love y'all!

:)Natalie)

**I disclaim all but Kris and Donurk! :D**

* * *

"Come on. He's ready for you." The guard commanded, busting the door against the wall behind. Kestrel was the first to get up—and the only one to—and flitted over to the tall guard gracefully, linking her arm in his. The guard looked down and studied her freed hands, she smiled and waved on in front of his face. They were lucky he wasn't the best guard in the world. They had found some scissors in a drawer, and cut through their bark-like restraints. They also found some other little nick-knacks that would probably come in handy. Kestrel was sure that this villains plan was the most unthoughtful and off-the-top-of-your-head-like she had ever gone through.

"Hi," she said in her most sultry and alluring voice she could muster with her teeth clamped together. The guard was a werewolf, from what Kestrel could tell and her job was to make the guard like her... really like her. Of course she would get the stupid part of the stupid plan, how did they think this was going to work? Kestrel didn't know, but she liked the challenge. "What's your name?" _god that was stupid sounding. _

"Iobo."he said, calmly. His face was a mask of composure, as was hers though she was thinking, _no his name is stupid!_ They had turned around and started down the hall. Kestrel didn't check to see if Kris or Rowan were following, she knew they weren't.

"Nice name," she said making her voice rougher—more sexy—to hide the laugh she was holding in.

"Thank you," he sounded kind of breathless, she had all his attention. He cleared his throat and kept on talking, "It's wolf in Spanish, that's my heritage."

Kestrel coughed loudly, covering the fit of giggles that tried to escape, how stupid did he think she was? Looking at the warrior's golden skin, blond hair, and blue eyes plus hearing his New York accent that he was trying to cover, she was _not _that naive_._ He was very much not Spanish. "How interesting." _if you were a cow, _"Do you know anymore Spanish?"

He looked from her, then away, "Gato... cat."

she gasped and jumped up and down like a ditsy prep, "I KNEW THAT ONE, I REALLY DID!" she clapped her hands together and the guard stopped, looked at her and smiled. "Now, instead of another Spanish," she said backing him to the wall, she got in his face with her left hand on his muscular stomach, the other in her back pocket, "How 'bout you shut the hell up, don't move, and try not to change. I wouldn't want to put this nice little pure silver paper weight through your heart," She thrust the silver beauty in front of his face proudly.

He didn't say a word.

"Now, show me to your little master." She said, the dangerous sound to her voice staying locked in place. He took her down the hall, and through a couple intimidating sized doors until they reached a huge room, it looked like it was used for dining. Though vampire's didn't really eat.

"Were are the prisoners, Iodo?" A stout-like vampire shouted and Kestrel could feel the tension under her hand as she pressed the little weight in her hand harder into his back.

"Escaped." Came his short reply.

"What?!" the vampire screamed, his voice going up a couple octaves.

"Shut up!" A woman whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. "The master is in a deep concentrated battle. Do you want the weak human to live? She is the only way to—"

She cut off when she saw Iobo seek to the ground dead in front of Kestrel. The change was quite substantial. From this big almost sweet looking guy, to little hawk-like Kestrel. It sent the others into a sweep of vertigo just looking at it.

When the gargling noises he was making, finally cut off, the other two looked from Iobo, to her "Do not say a word." She started off, pulling out a hard looking piece of wood that had held a silly little nameplate and a knick-knack of a Dalmatian, made of pure iron. "On the ground. Hands flat. No sudden movements."

Wow, her obsession with criminal shows was paying off. _One down, these two to go and then I deal with Donurk. _She thought, cautiously keeping her thoughts from the fact she was out numbered and out skilled. Just because she had hawk-like beauty that didn't mean that she was a fighter. You think they let her even start to train on the island? Ha! They were keeping the women from that kind of stuff. The ladies would be considered equal if they did.

She walked over and thrust the wood into the man's back and the iron into the girls. She said a little prayer for each of them and moved on. It was only part of the plan, she wanted to get out of there alive didn't she? At the moment she wasn't so sure. She tried not to hear the screams of agony, but failed. She didn't know her legs were already moving her calmly away until it was suddenly a lot darker. Kestrel simply moved.

_We are out. _Came Rowan's mental voice from the dark. Kestrel didn't reply, she only nodded and let her feet carry her. _Why aren't you leaving the castle? You took care of the guards didn't you?_

_Yes. I did._

_Then leave. _Rowan thought calmly, even lovingly and the picture of Rowan in Kris's arms while they planned swarmed Kestrel's vision. How was she going to go back to a house so full of love with Ash and Mary-Lynnette, Mark and Jade, and now the new duo!? She didn't see that happening.

_No. I'm going to kill Donurk... or die trying._

_**********_

Mary-Lynnette was in her own living room, the T.V. Was turned to a soft background music as she sat still on the couch. She closed her eyes and Ash's words were rang in her head as though they weren't real, just a figment of her imagination. Ash was due back to her in a couple days anyways. "I'm going to turn you into a vampire" was only was she was thinking he would say. It had to be a dream, all of it. She was back to normal, waiting for Ash to return to her. She was watching her favorite show, waiting for one of the sister's to come get her. She could smell the cookies Claudine was making like always. Rowan or Kestrel weren't missing and Mark was full human and playing in the woods at the moment.

She could see him dodging trees as Jade not so gracefully tried to stay at a human pace for him. The living room morphed into her hill, she was astonishingly under the stars. It made sense, usually her mind in so full of thoughts that she forget the walk over to the hill. The stars looked so beautiful, more beautiful today because Mars was huge in it's place beside the moon, she was awed by the look of it, like two eyes looking at her, maybe the night sky was watching over her as sweet as ever.

She felt that she could lay there all her life.

"You know this is all just a dream."

Mary-Lynnette squeaked and turned around to see the golden man standing before her, "Who are you?" She asked, though she already knew, she just wanted all of that to be a dream... None of it was real to her, she just wanted to look at the stars and calm herself.

"My name is John Donurk. Mary-Lynnette you do know wh—"

"How do you know my name?" She cut him off, not wanting the sweetness of what he called a dream to wear off by the words that she knew were coming next.

He smiled, though she could see the tightness of it, "A lot of people know your name. Mainly because you reformed the unreformable Ash Redfern." He started to circle the place were she was crouched, ready to spring on a moments notice, "I know you for a different reason all together."

"What? Do you want something from me? Or my family? You can have it. Just leave them alone. I don't have much unless you want some clothes or gum or a bus pass... I don't have much to my name, really. Just take i—"

"You will be the one to kill me."

Words forgotten she just gaped open-mouthed at him like a fish. _What the hell? _She thought, wildly, _Did I hear him right? Uh, I don't kill things... Especially people! _

_"_So, you see. I can't let that happen because I plan on riding beside our great Hunter Redfern in battle and having the vampires win and enslaving the human race and all of your Ash's little Circle Daybreak friends. But _you _are to kill me. A seventeen year old mortal girl. I don't think so... So, I will be killing you." This little speech made Mary-Lynnette's already open mouth grow longer. How plainly he could talk about death as though it was in all parts of his life?

And so he shifted and she prayed for a miracle.

*********

"Can you get me to the main road? I think I can get us to my home from there." Rowan said, worriedly. She was scared for Kestrel, but she didn't think it was wise to go back in there and get trapped, but it wasn't much better if they just stood there like human target boards.

"Okay, are you sure? We're to the south of Briar Creek though I'm not sure how far south we are. " Kris said, taking her hand, though it wasn't needed for her she felt relaxed by his touch and was grateful. How many times had she looked at him since there was light in the room? The answer is many. He was the most beautiful of all the humans she had ever seen. He was very pale, like vampire pale, but she liked it. He also had curly black hair that he kept pushing out of his eyes, he had high cheekbones and a chiseled jaw. he looked strong, which made her wonder what he did in that room for those years, did he work out? She could tell he was properly taken care of. His teeth, hair were clean. His skin was clear except the little bit of dusk that caught them on there way out.

That was probably the most scariest thing Rowan had ever done. She knew if they were caught they would be killed right there. They weren't going to ask questions. "I think I can do it. And if not... we can hitch hike."

"Row, I don't think that's a good idea. There are bad people out there." He said, and she could feel his protectiveness over her, though she didn't need protecting, it was always nice know someone cares. It made her smile to look into those sage green eyes, the exact color of his mind and see his emotions almost stamped in his eyes.

"It's fine, don't worry about me, sweetie." _though I kind of like it, _"I have a little power of my own." she waged her eyebrows and he smiled a glorious smile, showing that he had dimples—could he get any more amazing?

"Okay..." He said, trusting her. They were at the road now, and he point to the north. "If were south of Briar Creek then we go that way for a while til we figure out were we are. Agreed?"

"Okay." The walked for a long time, at a fast pace. Neither said much, which showed them they really didn't know each other. Like they fell into this totally blind and were now being able to see since the danger had passed for now.

"What's wrong Row?" Kris said softly, she looked up at him with soft brown eyes. How was he meant for her? It didn't make sense to her he was so caring and compassionate.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Whoah!" He laughed, "Random, Row, but okay. It's red." He thought about it and nodded, "What's yours?"

"Green." She said smiling. They continued like that the whole way down that street and to the gas station, thank god!

*********

"I knew you would come sooner or later, my love." Kestrel's head whipped around to see a man by a huge window. She had already drawn the long stake from the vampire guard outside the room.

"Who are you?" She asked venomously.

"Who do you think, lovely?" He said as he turned. She gasped as she got sight of his face, but quickly brought her facade of composure back.

She smiled at him and sweetly said, "I'm not your love and don't call me lovely. Thank you very much darling. Now, would you be the Donurk I have come to kill?"

"That would be me. But you are not who the prophecy said would kill me, so you must die. Too bad, I really didn't want to kill my soulmate."

He smiled at her with manic eyes.

(May be lots of edit problems... I'm soo sorry!)


	13. Sorry

Hey everyone.

I'm sorry it's been taking me so long to get chapters out lately... /: My laptop charger broke and I it had the almost finished chapter on it! The replacement one is on it's way. So, I decided that I'll rewrite it on here, but It's really hard to call the whole story back... I hope it sounds right. /: Ugh This soo sucks! I'll rewrite it and post it today or tomorrow, though It may not be as good as the original chapter. Well, I will also update my other story that you all should check out on my profile! :D I love you all! In a not creepy way. :)

Natalie!


	14. illuminated

**(A/N: Hey y'all! Today is a very good day and I'm excieted about this chapter! I rewrote this chapter as best as I could, though I feel that it's better than the original! :D Yeah, I'm in a great mood. Well, reviews are welcome. Well, I started ANOTHER story for here! I'm going to post it soon, it's going to be called, "I'm going to change you" You can guess what it's about! It's going to star all the main character's from Night World one, two, and three. (: Plus my new character Kris with Rowan. I'll post chapter one today! Well, Enjoy this chapter and look for chapter three to Marigold's story and Chapter one to "I'm going to change you" Plus, I may start another that will be a surprise. I love you all! **

**:)Natalie)**

_*DISCLAIMING ALL BESIDES KRIS AND DONURK*_

* * *

_"That would be me. But you are not who the prophecy said would kill me, so you must die. Too bad, I really didn't want to kill my soulmate."_

_**********_

"Ha!" Kestrel laughed in Donurk's face, while her stomach clenched at his words, "Soulmate? Nope, that's not for me. I'm not that gullible. Sorry."

"Ah, Kestrel, Kestrel, my sweet Kestrel," He said, shaking his head. "Why don't you think I haven't attacked you yet, haven't tide you away? I thought you were safer in that room with your sister and her soulmate. I should have had the werewolf bring you straight to me. Hm, maybe this will jog your memory" He walked to her slowly, she backed away. "I would have killed you if you weren't so beautiful. You are mine Kestrel. You were made for me and I want you by my side, now."

"Don't come near me!" She said, her voice like steal, she was beyond pissed. He had gotten her where it hurt most... Her heart. How had he known that she had been feeling jealous of the cute little couples around her or he may have seen it on her face when he said the word. She was tough, she didn't want to show that she had a soft spot, she didn't want someone to be able to read her that easily, and she really didn't want anyone to know that this feeling was even there. But this guy just read her just like that? _Pathetic, Kestrel Pathetic. _She thought, angrily, _what is he, anyways?_

"I'm a Dragon." He said, possibly reading her mind from practically across the room.

she raised a cocky brow at him."Well, 'Dragon'," her voice bleeding all the venom in the world "I've learned about your kind before, heard stories. How the dragons are the big and bad of the shape shifters, and I've heard the names of all the most powerful of the Dragon's... I never heard of you."

"I was the first to be put to sleep in the earth, dear." He smiled as she glared at him, "I was... am the strongest and they locked me away in the most deepest of all the caverns they dug. See Kestrel, Hellawise trapped me and thought I would never wake up. She set the highest and most unbreakable sleeping curse on me, but I am and always will be unstoppable, you can try to stop me. You can try to kill me—though, I don't know how you will be able to kill your soulmate—you will fail. There is only one vampire who has said to kill me. I told myself that I would be the one to kill her, that I would be the one that would over come her being, I wanted to do it on my own. But I never wanted you hurt, Kestrel. I always wanted you more than anything." As he talked, he was staring into Kestrel's eyes and she couldn't move hers away from his. They were as gold as hers with so much intensity and... and love she couldn't believe what she saw there. He looked to be only twenty, maybe twenty one but that didn't matter so much, did it? She was a vampire, she was considerably old, too. Oh, and his hair like new gold instead of old gold like hers. As she thought it through she didn't notice that he had moved closer, till his hand was coming to her cheek, "Say you want me, too." He said, his eyes shone brilliantly in the light. Ash has Mary-Lynnette, Rowan now has Kris, Jade has Mark, can't I be happy for once?

"I—I do." She whispered as his hand touched her cheek, there was a shock through her body, like a circuit being finished, she looked into the eyes of her soulmate, he was smiling like he won the olympics and she felt it to. The feeling of winning, she could feel the grin spread across her face slowly, most likely looking out of place on the fierce face.

That's not all she felt: the silver cord that she felt running to Donurk, from her heart, they were connected in a way only hand full of people were connected like. It felt beautiful;magical even.

_If it feels right, _Kestrel thought slowly, _it's right, right?_

Donurk and Kestrel sat talking for quite a while, and she was starting to see the true him. She told him about her home and her life. All was good, Donurk was holding her in his lap, sweetly. His golden eyes losing their manic default. She watched him, forgetting who she really was

Suddenly, the door slammed open and she jumped out of his lap and away like he was going to bite her, "Ah!" He said, walking to the door, her eyes followed him and she saw two of him, _What the—_ she thought, as they both glowed and the him that entered the room became smalled in mid-air and fused into him, "Sit." He commanded and Kestrel was thrown back, into a chair.

"What the—" she repeated out loud this time, her eyes bulged as she watched rope round her wrists like snakes. "DONURK!" she screeched, "Let me go!"

"My love, call me John." He smiled, "Look what I have, aren't you proud?" He snapped his fingers and in floated Rowan and Kris, both gagged and roped together.

She gasped, "Let them go! This is between you and me, Donurk!" She ignored his statement, "Let them go, I swear, when I get out of this I will kill you! Screw the prophecy!" Rowan looked at the Kestrel with tears running down her cheeks, her hand grasping Kris', he was tearing up, too. It enraged Kestrel and she pulled on her bindings.

"Ah, ah, ah," he tisked, calmly, "That's bark rope, dear. It's only hurting you." He laughed as blood streaked down Kestrel's wrists.

"Now it's a party." He smirked as another him walked in and was sucked into him, he snapped and she knew who it was that was brought in without having to look. But She couldn't move her eyes.

Jade was unconscious as she floated in, her head on Mark, he was silently crying. Kestrel felt tears coming to her eyes, too. "Let them go, please," she pleaded in a whisper, he just pet her hair lovingly.

"This will get the Prophecy's girl here," He growled.

"Who's the girl?" Kestrel screamed through tears of rage, "Why my family? Let them go! They didn't do anything to you! You attacked them!"

He only smiled.

The pieces finally clicked in Kestrel's head, only two people weren't here. One of them female, "You said a vampire would kill you," she whispered, shaking with fury.

"The girl is changing as we speak," Donurk, said, smiling like he wasn't talking about the girl that would kill him.

"Mary-Lynnette," Rowan whispered through sobs, the pieces clicking in her head as well.

Mark gasped, "No."

**********

_**(This next part is a flashback kind of... it really goes before the Mary-Lynnette part last chapter, sorry if it's confusing... XD)**_

**********

Ash Redfern was truly scared.

He watched the fight go on in front of him, as he cut his chest with his own nail. He put Mary-Lynnette's mouth to the wound as blood welled. Mark had attacked from behind as Jade grabbed the golden man by the feet. It looked as if they won till the man kicked Jade against the wooden wall, her head hit with a loud crack. She slumped forward, hopefully just unconscious. Everything was silent for a minute till Mark gasped, and attacked the man.

Ash looked down as Mary-Lynnette was suddenly aware her eyes opened to look at Ash, sort of confused-like, but she didn't move, as she let the blood flowed in her mouth, and as always they were being pulled into each other's mind again. The beauty of her glorious mind surrounded him in a soft light making him awed again, under his bare feet was bright green grass, above him was like the night sky. There were stars, every star that she had ever studied was there—which was a lot—shining brighter and more beautiful than the real sky he had looked up at so much the last year. He watched as the stars pulsed in unison, alive-like. He had seen before, but it still made him feel as though she was too good for him, too amazing He wondered where she was as he looked around the field he was standing in. He found her finally standing to the right of him, her arms at her side, watching him with her soft blue eyes, she was in a soft-looking black dress that hugged her body softly, billowing around her legs. He couldn't breathe, she was so beautiful.

"I'm changing, aren't I?" She asked when their eyes finally met. Her solemn question echoed around the stars-like mind as she gazed at him, her face passive, waiting.

"Mary-Lynnette" He breathed, his spirit wanted to move closer to her, but in truth he was scared, scared that she didn't want to be changed. That she would scream and yell and kick at him.

"Why?" She asked, calmly.

He gave her the cocky smile she hated so much, but his eyes held the pain he was feeling inside, like his heart was being torn in two, he felt as though he was going to lose her again. He wouldn't be able to bare it, but his face didn't show how he felt—though she could probably hear his mindless babble."You don't want to be like me?"

she laughed softly, "I haven't a choice now."

His face lost all the color it had as her form started to glow, she was radiating a beautiful white light from every pore of her beautiful body, her eyes an electric blue, her hair was floating softly around her head, as she threw her heard back and started to float, like as angel, like a star. He didn't know what to do, he had never seen anything like this before, "Mary-Lynnette" He breathed again—this time in awe, he ducked his head, "I'm sorry." Her soul was so beautiful, and he was really seeing it..

Ash moved closer, he couldn't explain how he did it, one millisecond he was yards away from her in the space around them that seemed to go on forever, the next her glow was illuminating him as well, "Ash, it's fine." Her electric eyes opened and stared into his soft and warm, holding so much love that he thought he would melt, "I'm supposed to change. I'm supposed to change him." Her form went back to normal as she said this and she touch back to the floor of her own mind she thought to him,_ I have had enough of your blood, protect Mark and Jade, I must sleep._

Then the stars were gone, and Ash was thrown back into his own body. Though, when found his eyes again, Jade and Mark were no where too be seen.

Ash Redfern paced in his room, his love "Dead" in his bed, she needed to wake up, it had been hours—twenty to be exact—since he had finished the blood exchange, and that golden freak had their whole family. Ash would never admit it, but he was scared. He was scared for what would happen to Mary-Lynnette should Donurk come for the, too.

He was looking for a miracle that maybe, just maybe Mary-Lynnette would be one of the ones that wake up earlier than the rest.

"Uh," He hard Mary-Lynnette moan loudly; he ran straight to her. _The dead isn't supposed to make noise. _He thought, pure joy surged through him, _She's going to live!_

He laid next to Mary-Lynnette, watching her sleep for the third time in his existence. She was the angel sent to rescue him from a new hoe or whore every night. None of that anymore, not that he missed it. How could he miss something so unfulfilling as that putrid lifestyle when he had this devastatingly beautiful creature laying so close to him? No way, no how. She had changed him so fully and completely.

As he watched, her body was changing slowly. Her hair becoming more shiny and full. Her skin paling. The freckles that dotted her face were becoming lighter and lighter till they disappeared completely. She wasn't breathing, but she was grimacing in her sleep, which was odd. Her finger's raked the air, almost hitting Ash.

"Whoa!" he said, grabbing her hand, holding them to her side, she groaned loudly, but didn't move. He let her hand go, watching her closely.

Suddenly, her eyes opened.

Hungry, silvery, beautiful.

Dangerous.


	15. anticipation

(A/n: I really don't know what to say, this chapter was fun and the BIG chapter is coming next! Woo! Though that means it's almost over.... /: Well, I posted that other story finally! Go check it out and review! I started with my favorite couple—besides Ash and Mary-Lynnette! I hope you like that one as well, thanks for the support and inspiration. I hope this one clears a couple little things up. (: Reviews are welcome on ALL my stories. :D

:)Natalie)

* * *

"Mary!" Ash gasped in shock as Mary-Lynnette jumped through his two story bedroom window.

_Ash! Come on. _She thought towards him, her foot tapping. Her body felt cut off, like she couldn't quite get a good breath. When he finally jumped out the window beside her, she took off as well. She laughed as she moved faster than she had ever moved before, everything seemed to move slowly for her, though it was probably that her mind was working faster.

Suddenly the wind picked up around her and she smelt it. The coppery sweet smell of blood. She breathed in deeply and turned her path, she knew that Ash would follow. The smell was coming from her left, a beautiful smell. So inciting.

Mary-Lynnette grabbed the first warm blooded thing that came into view, which happened to be a human. She took the human in her arms before they could tell what was happening and she bit down were the blood seemed to be the strongest—the neck. She drank deeply, savoring the taste on her tongue as the human stopped fighting in her arms.

"Love. That's enough." Ash said softly, Suddenly Mary-Lynnette remembered who she was, "Don't kill Bunny."

_Bunny?_ She thought, dazedly, _she's my friend! Crap! _Mary-Lynnette pulled back and the wound on Bunny's neck started closing up immediately.

Ash bent over the two, and put his hand on the back of Bunny's head, "You won't remember ever seeing Mary-Lynnette tonight. You fell and hit your head. You passed out. It would be embarrassing to tell anyone you were that clumsy, so you won't."

Mary-Lynnette lifted Bunny off of her lap and took Ash's hand, "Sorry, Ash." She said sheepishly.

"Your pretty violent for being so small." He laughed, as she glared. "Okay, now we got to get to business. He has everyone."

"I know, he has been getting into my dreams."

Ash's eyes went big, "I'll kill the son of a bitch," he growled, holding Mary-Lynnette closer.

"No, I will be killing him... That's what he said" She looked around, "I'm still thirsty."

"Wait, Mary-Lynnette, repeat, what?" Ash said, grabbing her face and bringing it to were he could read her eyes.

"There's some kind of prophesy that says I'll kill him he says, but I know that's wrong." She said, her eyes showing that she wasn't all that worried about it,"Now can we get me a bird or something?" She said looking around again.

"You need to worry about this, Love! He has our family!" She smiled back at him.

"It's really hard to concentrate when I'm thirsty."

Ash, laughed, "Oh yeah. Your a vampire. I forgot, it's still kind of new to me, You know? It's been what?" He pretended to count on his fingers, "five minutes?"

She laughed.

They left Bunny there and went to the woods close by. Mary-Lynnette followed the sent of blood again and luckily found a rabbit this time. As she bit in the rush of the blood wasn't as good, but it would work. There wasn't much blood there, but she was already almost full from Bunny.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Ash asked, wiping some blood from her lower lip after Mary-Lynnette finished the bunny off, lowering it in her hands and dropping the carcass.

"What do you mean?"

"That you just drunk out of two bunnies." Ash, said smiling carefully, though Mary-Lynnette looked down at the rabbit hide.

"I know... I feel bad."

Ash put his arms around her holding her close, "Don't worry about it, Mary-Lynnette. It's the circle of life." He said softly, kissing her forehead, electricity flowing through his lips, he smiled "We'll talk about it later." He pulled back, taking her hand again. Suddenly, he looked her up and down, taking in what being immortal did to her, "You look beautiful."

She looked down, "I need a shower."

"You can say that again," He laughed, "Look." he started running till he found the creak, it was the middle of the night, and when you look into the creek you could see yourself reflected perfectly, he knew that she would want to see.

"Go on." He smiled, motioning towards the water when they got to the edge, she turned her head slowly, her eyes closed. "Open your eyes." She took a deep breath and opened them.

Mary-Lynnette gasped, looking at the image in the water, the new her had lustrous, full brown hair, and big deep blue eyes, surrounded by long, dark eyelashes. Her lips were more full, and dark. All of her freckles given to her by the sun were gone leaving her skin creamy and very pale, he curves were more defined, her muscles looked strong though she still looked petite.

"That's me?" She asked, looking at Ash with wide eyes.

"I told you," He whispered, pulling her away from the water and back to him,"you look even more beautiful than you did, and I thought that was hard to top." He smiled, but changed the subject, "So, what do we do?"

She sighed, and looked to the ground, her blood sister's and true brother's faces passed in her mind's eye and she though back to the dream, "I guess we go to the castle." She said, looking back up into his confused eyes, "We can run there, I guess, but It'll take an hour or so even running. He... sort of gave me directions."

"Mary, no. It's a trap. I promise you." Ash said, but Mary-Lynnette just started walking north, pulling Ash behind her.

"We gotta' get them back one way or the other."

***********

"There coming." Donurk smiled, no one said a word, "Their going to try and save you from me!" he laughed, Jade had finally came around, though she wished she was unconscious. Mark had explained everything to her is thought form, though it just scared her more. All she could remember was attacking the golden man—Donurk.

She sighed in frustration, then looked around the room. Kestrel was tied to a chair opposite from the wall that Mark and herself had been dumped in front of, the Gold guy playing with her hair almost sweetly. She kept taking in the room, it wasn't an amazing room in the slightest, old looking with lots of metal. The room was practically all gray, black or white, besides the vampires and the crazy golden guy.

One face caught her eye, he wasn't a vampire nor the gold Dragon—Mark explained that, too. But a human tied to Rowan on the farthest of all the walls. They were holding each other's hands, Rowan leaning her head back onto his shoulder.

_Rowan, _Jade thought towards her, and her head snapped up.

She looked straight at Jade, _Jade, you're okay?_

_Yeah, who's the human?_

Suddenly, Rowan looked sheepish, _Kris... My soulmate._

_Aw, that's nice. _Jade smiled, _how did they catch you?_

_We went to a convenience store, and called a cab... he was the cabbie. _

Jade, snickered, _Just can't get good help these days._

_You can say that again, _Rowan sighed, _He's a Blue fire._

Jade looked at her confused, _What's that? _

_That's a very, very long story. But he's supposed to help with the end of the world stuff. I don't know but I think Ash knows, he'll have to explain it to us, _She sighed.

"Hear that Kestrel?" Donurk said suddenly, "There here."

"I don't hear anything!" Kestrel screamed, pulling on her restraints, "Let us go, now! I'm tired of this stupid game of yours. Your crazy, just plain crazy."

"Oh, no. there is a prophecy all right." Mary-Lynnette, walked in her hands on her hips like she always did when she was annoyed.

"Mary-Lynnette!" Rowan smiled.

"Mary!" Marked yelled, eyes wide.

"MARY-LYNNETTE! LEAVE HERE NOW!" Kestrel screamed, blood running down her wrists again.

"Ah, Mary-Lynnette. The famous Mary-Lynnette." Donurk smiled, walking towards her, "It's nice to see you in person. Now I can explain to all you what's been going on since the whole party has shown."

"I would like an explanation," Mary-Lynnette said, a half smile on her face. She wasn't human anymore, you could tell, Jade thought she looked good as a vampire, so much like her younger brother.

"Well, I'm a Dragon... You all know and you all have seen all the Ultimate Dragon's powers. I'm one of the most powerful of them all." He smiled, looking at Kestrel, "You like power, don't you, my love?"

"Love?" Ash asked as he jumped on Donurks back from behind, so fast that know one—even the Dragon—didn't see him till he said a word.

The dragon pulled on his arms, not able to tear them away, "Yeah, Ultimate, right." Mary-Lynnette said, laughing. She walked towards Jade and Mark, pulling out a knife. "You two get as far away as possible, please listen to me?" The nodded. She told the same to Kestrel, Rowan and Kris, "Rowan you're going to explain that one to me," she said, smiling. Looking at Kris' and Rowan's intertwined fingers.

"Just live through that," she pointed to Ash and Donurk, "first."

"Will do," She smiled, wondering if she was really telling the truth.


	16. Fight to the Fire

**(A/n: I know, I know. "Natalie you are soo dead! Why did you take so long getting this out?" I'm sorry! I know I blame my lateness on writer's block a lot but I ALWAYS have it! /: I think summer did it to me this time, I've been stuck with the same old freakinn' environment, plus drill team and new books and my book I'm writing and Fanfiction and my friend wanted a story for her birthday--i didn't get to finish!--and all that made my schedule booked! But I made it up to y'all by making this chapter longer than my normal chapter. I think there are only one or two chapter's left and I'm debating as to which ending I shall use because I have two in my head. How about this, in a review, besides telling me what you thought, add a 1 or a 2, it'll be like a random pick on the end so pick thoughtfully! :P Now I got to work on chapter two to "Change?" If you haven't read any of it, go read it! So far people are loving it! **

**:)Natalie!**

**Diclaimable!)**

* * *

"I'm not leaving," Kestrel said, crossing her arms, "You need me."

"How?" Mary-Lynnette asked softly, her eyebrow pulling together.

"I'm his… soulmate," Ash and Mary-Lynnette gasped, "I can help."

"No," Mary-Lynnette said after one very long minute. She closed her eyes and started to rub her temples, "You will become biased. Even if you don't want to love him you couldn't bare his death in front of you. I would know, Kestrel. Don't do this to me."

"Let me try."

Mary-Lynnette looked to Ash, _good idea?_

He shook his head softy, his Ash Blonde hair swishing across his forehead, she noticed that his hair wasn't only one shade of blonde, but many very light ones, it must be her heightened vision.

"May I say something?" Donurk asked, Ash growled in his ear.

"You can't stay, take care of the others," Telepathically she added towards Kestrel, _We don't know his powers._

After a very long hard stare at Mary-Lynnette, she nodded and moved to the door. Mary-Lynnette's eye followed, seeing the tension in her pale shoulders, she was mad. Kestrel joined the others by the door and they all left, all Mary-Lynnette's loved ones left breaking her heart. What if she wasn't to see them again? They were following her orders, so she couldn't be mad, but there was a spark of something in the pit of her stomach, anger? Worry? She didn't know. All she really knew was that she had no plan what's so ever. Her money was on this prophesy that no one bothered to explain to her. It had been mentioned, yes, but not in detail. Was she really supposed to deal with this cracked up Dragon? Well, Mary-Lynnette couldn't let him roam the streets of Briar Creek, now could she?

"Ash," She said, turning back so fast that she didn't seem to move, he looked at her, his eyebrows raised, "What holds a shapeshifter?"

"I'm actually not sure, I'm doing a pretty good job at it, though," he gave her his infamous cocky grin and tightened his hold on Donurk's throat.

"Well, I kind of need to talk to you, too bad we don't have a witch," Mary-Lynnette sighed.

"Ha," Ash laughed, "good one, Mare…Y-Lynnette," he laughed as she tried to look angry with the nickname that she forbid when they met.

"Ahem?" Donurk cleared his throat, "May I be so bold, you seem to not have all the facts about what's going on," He smiled, "Care to be filled in?"

"Care to be filled in?" Ash laughed, mockingly, holding Donurks throat tighter, making him gag, Suddenly Mary-Lynnette noticed Donurk didn't look older than twenty two—though Dragons didn't seem to age—elder than Ash looked to be, but Ash was broader and had a good five inches on him, "You think? We're practically in the dark here! Care to shed some light, or you could be shred to pieces this very moment? Take your pick" Ash's eyes went from orange to red as anger traced his features, deadly like.

Donurk sighed, "You did notice that in the dreams I set up for you to meet me I made them fair. I didn't bring," he looked up at Ash, his eyes narrowed, "outside sources."

"I'm not going—," Ash said at the same time that Mary-Lynnette said, "Ash go."

"What!?" Ash snarled, "I'm not leaving you here alone."

"Trust me, please?" She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you again," he said, she sighed.

"You have to, look at it this way if this whole prophecy thing it true than I'm the only one who can do this," She said, was just trying to make him understand and she had a feeling that if he was in the room when their battle amerced, he would not walk away. She looked directly into Donurk's manic golden eyes, "What the hell is the prophecy anyways? You never even told us it!"

He smiled slightly, Reciting the words through a constricted throat, "It is:

The battle grows close;

and he is 'posed to lead the Night to victory.

But a blood sucker will get in his way;

Will it be the end for all of Night—will the day win?

His fate depends on the girl

Mary-Lynnette, the changer of the unchangeable,

The girl who destined to the break;

Mary-Lynnette."

_**(A/n: Sorry if my Prophecy sucks… I'm not a poet at all. Keep reading though!)**_

Mary-Lynnette listened her eyes big, changer of others? She thought wildly, "What do you mean changer of others? Destined to break? What!?"

"Interesting isn't it?" Donurk wheezed, "Well, my team figured that the battle is the end of the world one—"

"The end of the world?" She asked, confusion even more apparent on her face, "Explanation, please."

Ash was the one to answer her, "The millennium is coming, the human's run the world at the moment, but the place of power usually changes every ten decades." She looked at him sharply, her heart racing, "That's what it's talking about. It'll be vampires again Circle Daybreak."

"That would be the day and night part." Donurk put in.

"Well, aren't there a lot of girls named Mary-Lynnette?" She inquired, her hands shaking.

"The next part… 'changer of the unchangeable' We figured that—"

"You changed me." Ash stated, his eyes big. "Am I really unchangeable? Was I that hardheaded?" He asked.

Mary-Lynnette cracked a small smile, "From what I've heard over the year without you, yes."

Ash smiled as Donurk went on, "And we don't understand the 'break' part, maybe that means you will die. It could mean you'll become circle daybreak. Who knows? Now, can we get this whole 'battle of the prophesized ones' underway? My throat hurts."

"Whiny little bitch aren't ya'?" Ash asked, tightening his arm again.

"That just brings us back to the gist of all of this—Ash you have to go and watch out for the others." Mary-Lynnette stated, taking a defensive stance she saw on TV, for when Ash finally let go of the sickening Dragon.

"I'm. Not. Leaving," He said, anger very apparent in his voice, "You don't understand, do you, you need me here?"

"Ash," she sighed, as she walked towards him. She touched his cheek softly, her eyes staring into his as the once painful electric current closed making her body feel alive. Mary-Lynnette felt she could just walk away from all of this and just hide away with him forever.

That was the moment Donurk decided to strike.

He lunged for her throat, breaking through Ash's hold like a jackhammer through paper. At the last moment, her vampire senses caught his movement and she shifted out of the way. He turned, pushed his arm out to brace for impact against the wall he was heading for, and landed from that smoothly—without even a wince.

Mary-Lynnette screamed, "ASH! Get out of here NOW!"

"No!" He yelled back, lunging for Donurk, Donurk put an arm up and Ash bounded into it, getting thrown across the room, crushing a beautiful white vase into powder.

"Please?" She asked, throwing herself at Donurk. She did it more skillfully, and uppercutted him in the stomach, he flew up, hitting into the ceiling and through it. Mary-Lynnette bent her knees then jumped through the opening, and landing in a graceful tuck beside the hole, Donurk was on the other side.

Donurk laughed, "Better than I expected, Mary-Lynnette."

"Got to be good," She smiled, bounding across the whole, grabbing him and rolling a couple times till she straddled his middle, punching him his face, "I'm supposed to beat you, aren't I?"

Donurk laughed again, and pushed up, making Mary-Lynnette fly through another wall, this one to the outside, she did a flip and landed on her feet in the bright green grass, suddenly she missed her hill, for comfort that felt normal, this was all so alien to her, the power, the thirst, the double mind, like she could practically think about five hundred things and still fight, ith her left hand behind her back. It surprised her that she was able to do this, she didn't think she could stand a chance against Donurk. Just as she thought about him, he came flying through the new hole straight at her. She ran out of the way at a moment's notice, surprised that Ash hadn't flown through the hole in the wall yet. Donurk landed tucked. He took in a huge breath and then stood, facing her.

"You're very much better than I expected," He said, starting to circle her.

She followed the opposite way, like a bad Kong-Fu movie. She half expected his words to be off from his lip timing, "You've said this."

He looked towards the right, his eyes big and dilated, she took the chance and jumped for him, he was knocked back, his had hitting the ground. She punched at him again, this time he got furious. His form started to vibrate under Mary-Lynnette, anger rose in him blasting out in the form of an earsplitting growl/howl. Mary-Lynnette moved as fast as vampirically possible as his form started to shift.

"No!" Mary-Lynnette heard Ash bellow, running out from the tall trees on the side of the yard, he was carrying a rather large chunk of wood in front of him like a sword.

"Ash, wood only works on vampires," she laughed, breaking the tension of the already tiresome battle.

"It'll stall him at least! You got a better plan?" He asked, hitting Donurk where his head should have been, Donurk's misshapen body flinched, probably in his most fragile state. She looked from Donurk to Ash, her eyes wide.

"Good, plan."

"You bet it is," he said, bashing him again. Donurk started to glow a startling white, and grew, Mary-Lynnette and Ash jumped to the side, as Donurk took on his true colors. His human form was long gone and in his place was a dragon as tall as the empire state building and as big as two houses. If Mary-Lynnette was scared earlier, she was terrified now. The dragon let out a loud, eccentric howl/growl only this time it was twice as ravenous. He looked at them with fire in his eyes—literally.

"STOP!" Mary-Lynnette heard a voice she didn't recognize, yell from behind her. She looked and saw the rest of her family, the boy she didn't know, in the front obviously the one that yelled for them to stop.

The dragon threw his head back and made a sound that could only pass as a laugh, Ash and Mary-Lynnette ran to their family.

"Who is this?"Mary-Lynnette asked, looking at Kris.

"My soulmate, Kris" Rowan said, "We're going to die now, aren't we?" She was calm as day.

"Probably," Ash said, taking Mary-Lynnette in his arms, "I'm sorry, I love you, Mary."

She sighed, but decided that the nickname could be let go this time, "I love you, too, Ashy." She couldn't resist. The rest of the family did the same with their soulmates, then with their family, it was sad how all the pieces fit together in the end, wasn't it?

"I love you, Mary-Lynnette," Mark said, hugging his sister.

"I love you, too, Mark, Really, I do," she said, pulling him tighter and then moving to huge Rowan, but finally the dragon's cackle ended, there was no "stop" anymore. The dragon started at the vampires—and Kris.

"Everyone, run!" Mary-Lynnette yelled, and they commenced to her will, it was chaos as everyone ran from the dragon like Mary-Lynnette's and his earlier game of cat and mouse in her dream. No one was coherent as they only thought of getting away, leaving, safety.

Mary-Lynnette held onto Ash's hand as they tried to get somewhere safe, but Mary-Lynnette was torn, she was supposed to stop him, wasn't she? She didn't want to leave this maniac to roam the streets, did she? No. She stopped, aleady cornered by the castle with Ash, Kestrel, Rowan, and Kris.

Jade and Mark had gotten away, but the other's were stuck, not wanting to leave their soulmates behind.

_Stupid! _They heard in their heads, they damn dragon's voice.

"Worth a shot," Kestrel said under her breath, making Mary-Lynnette smile slightly, but nothing more.

_Enough, _they heard the dragon think, _can we just finish this? It's getting ridiculous._ He stalked forward, steam streaming from his scaly nostrils.

Mary-Lynnette's thoughts turned to losing everything, there seemed like there was no help, but there had to be.

It had seemed they lost till, Kris said, "Don't I have any power?"

Ash's head whipped to the side andMary-Lynnette heard Ash think loudly, _yes!_ She looked at him confused then with a look of astonishment as he grabbed Kris, "I know what he is!" he yelled at the dragon, stopping the dragon in his tracks.

_What is he?_ They all heard I their minds, gasping.

"The blue fire! And I know what he can do," Ash said, raising a knife no one saw.

Rowan gasped, "No, Don't!"

"What?" Kestrel asked, confused then she saw Ash, "Whoa! Ash, are you crazy?"

"Blue fire is activated by spilling their blood," he said, for only them to hear, though Donurk could probably hear him.

_Do it._

And Ash put a slit in Kris arm, the blue fire rushing around them like a blue tornado. Mary-Lynnette looked around in awe, her hair being thrown around by the gust, she heard Ash yell, "Focus on him! Focus on the dragon!"

As Kris did what Ash said, the tornado of fire shot at Donurk covering him and the air around him till he wasn't visible. All they heard a dragon howl followed by bellows of agony.

"No!" Kestrel yelled, breaking through the clump of her family, and running into the blue fire, for her soulmate.


	17. Worry

_**(A/N:Yeah, I don't have much to say, there is one more chapter unless you think I should continue, tell me. Well, I stayed up well past my bedtime to finally finish this and I STILL haven't finished Hannah and Theirry's next chapter or Marigold's! I'm so tired, Reviews are welcome. I really want to know how this went with y'all. Explanations about the whole thing will be in the next chapter, which may or may not be the last chapter it all depends on y'all. **_

_**:)Natalie )**_

_**Disclaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaim! :)**_

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-Two months later-

Kristian McNole held his beloved tight in his arms; they were in the game room watching some American T.V. Rowan wasn't liking it too much, "What is this?"

"Wheel. Of. Fortune!" the people on the television screamed and he shot her a grin.

"Just watch!" He said, laughing her ear.

She scoffed, "How could I with you here?" It was true, she really couldn't focus all her senses were on him, he could tell through a weird six sense that the soulmate principle gave him.

"Look, they guess letters, they guess the word, and they win money," he said with a soft laugh.

"Well, can't they just read the minds of the host and get the answers?" Rowan asked, and Kris laughed louder still, _**(A/n: Didn't L J. Smith say something about the girls having a sheltered life? I thought this worked nicely to portray that. :))**_

"They're human sweetie," he touched her cheek, "they don't read minds." Kris was in love and had been in love and at the mansion for about two months and for some of that time they were locked underground with many other's just like himself—The Blue Fires, Jez , Delos, Illiana, and himself. The soulmates were allowed to stay together

The other Blue fires had to train, extensively. They were lucky Delos new hat the hell he was doing.

They learned to use it to dream-port—that's what Delos called it, it's like entering dreams in a period of their life as long as they were asleep. They learned to control the blue fire, using blood. They learned to everything possible, and Kris felt like a super human, though after the battle he lost so much blood they thought he was going to die, he was the only human after all on the team ad wasn't able to rejuvenate quickly or pull out a spell—like Illiana did—and heal. And that night, after the battle, Kris started his change into a vampire.

"What are you thinking?" Rowan asked suddenly.

"Don't you," he took in a raged breath from the intense look in her eyes and her luke-warm hand on his neck, "don't you already know?"

She smiled, "I want to hear it from you."

Kris thought about it for some time, "I know I didn't know your family long," he took a breath, "But I'm scared for Kestrel and Donurk, where are they?"

"I'm not sure," she said, softly, her expression becoming infinitely sad.

"This is my fault, you know," he said, his body shaking. He had to try the Blue Fire, he had to save everyone, he couldn't control the fire and in turn Kestrel ran for her love, "I shouldn't have used the power—"

"Stop," she said, crawling into his lap, she put her hand over his mouth, "It wasn't your fault, we all would be dead if you didn't try." She then removed her hand and kissed him so passionately the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end electricity running through their bodies, like closing a circuit.

They were alive, they were together, and they had eternity to look forward to.

********

Jade looked at Mark, he was asleep in their bed at the mansion it was late at night and she couldn't sleep, she just kept hearing Kestrel's screams.

Mark laid there, his strong; thin face the man of a sixteen year old full grown man, looked vulnerable and soft. Jade let out a sigh of relief though Kestrel's cries sounded in her head again. It had been this way for the two months after the fight, the family was split into their couples, but always ate together and they were slowly starting the wedding trend.

Mary-Lynnette and Ash had theirs coming up soon, then there was Jade and Mark's. They all had a feeling that Kris would pop the question soon, too.

Mark would not leave Jade's side, he was so protective over her now, well, and he did almost lose her a couple of times.

She touched his perfect cheek, feeling the soft electricity run through her hand. His mouth smiled softly, and he put his hand over hers, "I'm not asleep you know," he said, his eyes stayed closed.

"Of course I knew that," she whispered as he moved an arm around her body and pulled her closer, "You just looked so innocent, like every night." He opened an eye and his smile became more pronounced.

"You're so sweet, Jade," he said, holding her to his chest, "but why are you up so late? I thought Mary-Lynnette said to sleep well because she called a family meeting at dawn."

"Can't sleep, I keep thinking of… Kestrel," Jade said, not meeting his eyes and when staring until she looked up didn't work, he used his finger to guide her eyes to his blue ones. Jade was beautiful, he that was the least descriptive word that came to mind, but she was so much beautiful than that one sullen word.

"Don't hinder yourself, Jaybird," he said, as he stroked her hair, he just loved to hold and touch her, it was like teenage love, but they were teenage lovers forever, they would never look older, only mentally mature, but their love would always be sweet and puppy-like, "Everything would be figured out eventually."

She sighed heavily, "You think she's okay?"

"I truthfully don't have an answer for that," he sighed too, holding her tighter, "All I can account for is you, Jaybird, that's really all." And he wasn't lying, he loved his family, loved his friends, my even have loved Claudine as a fill in mother for a short amount of time, but none of that compared to his love for her, no one—not even her own. (So he thought.)

"I Love you, more," she said and jumped out of his arms and ran around the huge room, daring him to chase.

********

Kestrel was tired of all the damn witches.

She and Donurk had been stuck in the hospital of Circle Daybreak for about two months. The witches had to fix the "permanent" damage that the Blue Fire had caused—like the fact that both heir eyes had turned electric blue and their skin paler than a normal vampire's, plus the fact that they were so much skinnier—and they tried to figure out why her and Donurk were the only ones to ever live through it, well that was a moot point when a record breaking five hundred ex-Nightworlder's found HUMAN soulmates, yeah anything could happen, right?

John Donurk was allowed to stay at Circle Daybreak with Kestrel because of Theirry's soft heart and the fact that he knew what it felt like to lose your soulmate. Hannah was a sweet girl, and when Kestrel met her, her eyes were in dream mode, she was thinking of vampires and becoming one, well at least Kestrel knew the guy that helped her would have love for eternity also.

John—for that is want reformed Donurk went by—underwent more spells than Kestrel did so that he would be made good, Kestrel hoped they would last.

She was sick of the same walls of the same room for so long, that she fell to the floor when they said her and John were all done and able to join their family by dawn in time for Mary-Lynnette's family meeting.

As they walked out, John took her in his arms, his new electric blue eyes simmering,"I'm sorry, Kestrel!" he cried, hugging her tight, _never seen this side of him, _Kestrel thought laughing softly to herself.

"It's fine, it's worked out," She said her pale hands running through his hair, "We're alive and well and most of all together."

He looked at her startled,"You still," swallow, "Love me?"

"Don't go that far," she scoffed, "You have to earn my trust back."

"I can do it," he said, "I'm so sorry!" and with that his lips were crushing hers ad her body turned charged with too many protons. Everything fizzed with energy and a light pink tint lit the air, they couldn't control themselves and they held each other closer and closer, their minds blinding into one and suddenly she knew too much information.

"Wow," Kestrel said after a time, her body cradled in John's arms.

"I love you, Kest—" he started, but was interrupted by a small vampire with curly copper hair.

"Hi," she said, her green eyes embarrassed, "Mary-Lynnette told me to find you two, they're in the game room waiting," She looked at the two as they got up and straightened themselves, "If you need me call 'Poppy'—that's me—if I don't answer call, 'James.' Bye." She waved and walked down the hall.

"For some reason I have a bad feeling about this, John," Kestrel said, striding the way Poppy had come, John trailing behind.

********

Mary-Lynnette stood reflecting on the last two months. So much had happened that she could barely process it all. Everyone was moved to Theirry's mansion in Las Vegas for safety. Mary-Lynette and Mark's father and Step mother were not allowed to know what was going on because Theirry saw no harm in letting them lead their lives as normal as possible, after they got past Mary-Lynnette and Mark moving to a private boarding school in Egypt. Yes, it was a farfetched cover story, but with a little mind control via Theirry himself, they looked past reason and allowed them to go off to "School."

Soon after the move, was the apocalypse.

Mary-Lynnette wasn't allowed to participate in the huge battle because of Ash. He would not let her even if she was the last vampire on earth—though she made the point that if she was the last vampire there would be no need for the apocalypse in the first place. As they lay in their bed, holding each other, they fought. She wanted to fight, help as much as she could—they didn't have many vampires to fight on the Daybreak side—but he didn't want her hurt.

"You make no sense," she said, crossing her arms, her elbows in his ribs.

"Yes it does, Mary-Lynnette," He whispered in her ear, making her body shiver, "you know exactly why."

"Yes, but that wouldn't change a thing. I'm tough enough to take care of us," she said, softly, he shivered this time and his lips were on hers, crushing his body to hers as fierce and as softly as possible which turned out to be harder than it looked.

But that was the last he would hear of her being in the battle.

They're relationship was as strong as ever, and having the whole family together—plus additions—forever just made everything that much better. The only thing that made Ash antsy was Mary-Lynnette. He could feel her missing home. He could feel the fatigue and the cravings rolling off of her like they were sharing blood again, Mary-Lynnette knew he was feeling all of this and she desperately tried to control or hide it, but your couldn't hide anything from Ash and the soulmate principle made her practically see through.

But it had been a month and two weeks since the apocalypse battle and the family was very much still intact and growing strong in the new world. The Blue Fires band together and all of the unchangeable vampires disappeared that night, no one exactly knows where that disappearance led them, but there were a dozen Night Worlders left and what do you know—they joined Circle Daybreak and found human soulmates of their own. The humans survived and know about the vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, fae, and all of that. They were dealing and since the Peace Treaty was put in place there was no killing going on between the races and the humans abetted the remaining vampires in getting blood. They set up the world to be open and caring.

Mary-Lynnette was pulled to the present when she felt the presence coming up the hill, _Ash_, she mentally sighed. And his arms circled her, his hands pressed to her stomach.

"Not able to sleep?" he asked, gently pulling her down to a sitting position, her in his lap. She kept her eye trained on the nebula a human eye could never see.

"Nope, I feel jittery from the animal hunt plus the human ice cream dad made me eat that ice cream," She laughed softly.

"You glad to be home for the time being, love?" Ash whispered, his left hand raking through her hair, his right still placed on her stomach.

"It feels… weird," she started hesitantly. They had been back in Briar Creek for only a couple hours and already she was back at her hill, the one where so much had happened, so many new things. Like seeing the girls bury their Aunt, and kissing Ash, finding out what he really was, their reunion took place on the hill. But so many repeated things that she memorized also happened on that hill, watching the stars till all hours of the night, and taking Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade up there night after night trying to see how different a vampire's seeing was from a humans—the answer, very. "I thought for sure Claudine was going to claw my eyes out, and for your little stunt." She raised an eye brow.

"They had to know, sorry," He said and she could feel that he wasn't sorry at all.

Mary-Lynnette scoffed, "Claudine flipped with jealousy and my dad wanted to beat you with a stick."

"Smart man, how did he know that would be the only thing to kill me?"

"Lucky guess," she said then thought about it, "Unless you dropped the 'vampire' bomb and the 'wedding' bomb at the same time."

"Only one of the two," he smiled, looking up, his hands moving to hold her middle again.

She looked up at his face to see his eyes trained on something far away, Mary-Lynnette followed his gaze, as she stared up at the stars herself. Antares, a star, within a nebula near Rho Ophiuchu, was shining brighter than she had ever seen, its light illuminating the earth. She wondered how old the light was, older than Ash?

He snorted, "I'm not that old." He laughed, but she didn't return it. Her thoughts moved to something totally off subject, her secret. She put walls around her mind so she could think freely, not wanting Ash to know yet. She planned to tell him today, tonight really. With the wedding in days, it had bee two month's since she changed and she had discovered many things about herself, like how much love she could give to Ash, or how her career choice was greatly helped by her vampiric seeing, but the biggest of all was the secret she had yet to tell Ash.

He was looking at her, confused like, probably wondering why she was hiding her thoughts from him. Her heart swelled with the sadness in his eyes.

"It's not what you think, Ash," she said softly in his ear. "I'm not leaving you or breaking the wedding."

He brought her closer, "Then enlighten me, love."

"You'll freak out," she said, touching his cheek, feeling the electricity that she never grew tired of. The pleasuring jolt through her body, "I promise you will."

"Try me."

"It's why I called the family meeting, well, you see I'm sort of," The next part she said in such a rush it was hard for Ash to catch, but he did all right, "I'm carrying your child," Mary-Lynnette put her hands on her stomach, as she felt Ash's jaw drop.

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Hahaha!(: Killer, eh?

Don't worry, explanation on how this is possible is in the next chapter. :)


	18. Slow down

I have a great reason for why it's taken me this long! I swear, my computer shut down Microsoft Word! O.O I WAS SO MAD! I don't have the conformation key either so I had to try and find a workable typing thing and I hate OpenOffice, but I broke down and got it. /: It turns out that this is probably the end of this story. Sad, I know, but it seems like a good way to end unless you have any ideas for me to move on with. I thought about making a sequal for my newest character you meet at the end of this. ;) but since this is the pretty much epilogue it's not that long and I'm super sorry about that. Now, I'm going to work on Hannah's story and have that out tonight or tomorrow night. I also have a oneshot I'm working on, look for that. I am no where near done on this site it just may take me longer because, well, openoffice sucks and so does being very involved in school. I'm doing Pre-Ap english, drill team (that's everyday after school from 1:18 till 4:30 or 5:00), book club, and yearbook. And plus, Natalie has a boyfriend. :) If one of us was a vampire we'd so feel that soulmate principle! Sorry, I'm rambling, get to the story!

:)Natalie

**_Disclaim._**

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Mary-Lynnette and Ash entered the game room, wind blow they had ran the whole way back from Briar Creek, hand in hand, deep in thought. It really only took about two hours, just in time for dawn.

Ash took a seat while she stood before her family, everyone together. She looked at everyone is turn starting with Jade. Of course Jade looked exactly the same, her blonde hair and jade green eyes shining in the light, but those eyes held something Mary-Lynnette had never seen there before, knowledge. When she came to Briar Creek she was so sheltered from the world, now she had seen how cruel the world could be, she had seen her family almost die. She had almost died herself. Of course there was new knowledge. She was holding Mark's hand… Of course she was. Mark was sitting, his blue eyes trained on the ground as if he was studding the pattern, trying to memorized the probably already memorized wood pattern, line, swirl, two parallel lines, and wavy line, back to the line. He had the same knowledgeable look in his eyes as he played with Jade's fingers. He had also been broken of the sheltered life as was Jade. He had seen the same thing, but worse. Jade knew what was going on, she knew that there were Vampires, witches and shapeshifters out there, Mark did not and the way he found out was a way that no one wanted to be told like, thrown into the fire with a soulmate vampire to boot. Unfair, but he managed quite nicely.

Rowan was to the left, in Kris' lap, they held eachother as if they were the only ones in the house—in the world. The sweet and compassionate couple of them all, and though they didn't know much about Kris, Mary-Lynnette knew that Rowan's judgement was best and trusted that girl. They were in love, and happy.

Mary-Lynnette could have cried as she looked into Kestrel's newly sapphired eyes. They were a constant reminder of what happened two month's ago. As she held onto John Donurk for dear life she had to wonder where Kestrel's fierceness went. She had never depended on someone so much as she did John now, it was weird to have him in the house not attacking, but it was for the best.

She jumped off the subject just as fast as she jumped onto it, and searched everyone's thoughts before she started the meeting, Ash was still in shock, his thoughts trained on her flat belly. Jade was wondering if this whole meeting was about the weddings. Mark was feeling nervous probably catching a whiff of Ash's guarded thoughts. Rowan was thinking of Mary-Lynnette's health, hoping nothing has changed in her transformation. Kris's thoughts were adorably on Rowan, as always. Kestrel's were thinking of freedom, same a Don—John.

"I called this for a very special reason," _special indeed,_ she heard Ash think to himself, she ignored it, "Poppy, James, could you come in here quickly?"

They came into the game room of Theirry's mansion, and smiled at the family.

"Ah, Ash, hello cousin," James said, laughing.

"Hi," he lamely replied, still focused on Mary-Lynnette.

"We need to catch up later Ash," He laughed softly, Hold Poppy closer to himself, "I didn't know you were here I was on a mission for the last few months."

Mary-Lynnette cut in, "Okay, I have some news."

"Shoot," Jade said quietly, feeling the tension in the room.

"Well, I have been secretly going to the witches on the third floor, I thought I was dying because, well, normal vampires don't get sick… ever. See, I went up there and they told me that it wasn't that serious… I was just pregnant," she said it quickly, and there was a long pause as everyone took in her words.

Then the yelling started, and the gaping, and the freaking out.

"HOW!" Kestrel screamed, moving faster than she ever had to put her hand on her stomach. Jade just stared, Mark was threatening Ash's life, hardly understanding that 'Hey, it wasn't Ash's fault.'

"Sit down!" Mary-Lynnette screamed, and everything stopped at once, just as fast as it started, everyone mid-step or thought and punch.

When she saw Mark still leaning into his punch, she glared, "This isn't his fault. Do you see that? I'm not even supposed to be able to change!"

"Then how did it happen?" Jade asked quietly, her eyes on Mary-Lynnette's stomach.

"That's why Poppy's here, she's not only a vampire, she's also a witch," she moved to sit with Ash, and Poppy took the floor.

"Okay," she smiled, connecting with each pair of eyes in turn, "This may be awkward, but see, the child was conceived when Mary-Lynnette was human, and being that she was changed by Ash, the blood circulated through the fetus and as Mary-Lynnette was changed into a vampire, so was the baby."

"So," Ash spoke up, his eyes distant, "Does that make the baby Lamia or Made?"

"Well, we suspect her to be Lamia, since we've been able to graph her growth rather quickly."

This time it was Kestrel that asked the question, "If the baby is growing, why isn't it showing?"

"The blood loss made the fetus smaller than normal, it'll be longer than nine months till she is ready to come out." She laughed.

"She?" Mary-Lynnette eyes were wide, but she was looking at Ash.

"It's a girl." Poppy smiled, her sharp green eyes brightening as Ash kissed Mary-Lynnette, picking her up, and taking her away.

"Do you think that baby is safe?" Mark asked, slowly, knowing the couple was occupied.

Kestrel laughed, "With Ash as a dad, I don't think so."

"Hey, hey, hey, he's grown up quite a bit," Rowan said, looking at her family in mock scorn, "Anyways, Mark was talking about if it'll be able to birth or not, right?"

"Um," Mark laughed, "I think Kestrel was right."

Everyone started to laugh as they heard ash snarl from upstairs.

"Sh, you'll wake the baby!" Jade squealed and everyone broke into laughter again, knowing Ash heard the comment.

******

"Moooooooommy!" A five year old, long-haired brunnette, rainbow-eyed little girl called from in front of a TV.

Mary-Lynnette ran in, a plate in her hand, "What sweetie?"

"That's daddy!" She laughed, pointing at the screen. Ash was on there, talking to the vampire Meyer of the town of Briar Creek, where they moved when finally allowed to leave the mansion.

"He must have done something to get him in trouble," Asha, the little girl, laughed.

On the TV Ash said, "It's not my fault that they put that pole in my way, they should think of the kids." he said sarcastically. Mary-Lynnette sent a warning to her husband through their telepathic link. "Hey Sweetheart! I love you!" Ash shouts into the camera and winks, "Look what I did!"

The Camera focuses on a car bent around a light pole and Asha starts to laugh.

"Good job daddy, but I think I could have done better." Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes, Asha was so much like her father.

It warmed Mary-Lynnette's heart.


	19. WOW! A NEW STORY!

Hey all you Ash and Mary-Lynnette fans! I'm back after a long break but I'm writing again! And guess what! I'm not done with this story. I'm now posting the first chapter to the sequel to this story under "Dreaming Death" It has all your favorite characters and more new ones! Beware the first chapter is a teaser chapter and also beware that you won't understand the sequel with out reading this story, and if you're new or just rereading this story, REVIEW! I love all of my loyal reviewers and just the loyal readers! Keep reviewing if you'd like and read this new one and I'll start working on the others I have on here! Well Go check out Asha's story! Sure to be super good! (Wow, didn't that sound ditzy and prepy? Sounded like I needed an arms pump on that last sentence.... XD)

Natalie!


	20. A GOOD notice :

Notice! (Good this time. ;))

In my story "Change?" I posted a fluff piece on Mary-Lynnette and Ash. It goes along with the end of this story but before "Dreams of beauty." If you're a Mary-Lynnette and Ash junky like I am, then go check it out, I think you will really like it, it kind of adds to the ending I posted.

:)Natalie


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